Brazil Rejects US Proposal to Label PCC and Comando Vermelho as Terrorist Groups

Report by Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

The Brazilian government has turned down a request from the United States to officially classify two of the country’s most powerful criminal organizations — the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) — as terrorist entities.

Mario Sarrubo, Brazil’s National Secretary of Public Security, confirmed on Wednesday that the proposal was raised during a meeting held in Brasília between senior Brazilian officials and a US delegation.

According to Sarrubo, the US representatives argued that labeling the PCC and CV as terrorist groups would help Washington strengthen its response to transnational crime and illegal immigration. They stated that such a move would allow US agencies to impose sanctions, disrupt criminal funding networks, and mobilize additional resources.

However, Brazilian officials rejected the request, citing legal limitations under the country’s anti-terrorism framework.

“We do not recognize these organizations as terrorists,” said Sarrubo. “They are criminal groups, but under Brazilian law, terrorism is defined strictly by acts motivated by religion, race, or ideology that threaten national order.”

Sources close to the meeting revealed that the US delegation referenced FBI intelligence claiming PCC and CV have operational cells in at least 12 American states, including Florida, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Tennessee. The report alleges these gangs are involved in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and money laundering through Brazilian nationals residing in the United States.

In 2024 alone, 113 visa applicants were reportedly denied entry to the US due to suspected ties with organized crime.

The initiative comes as former President Donald Trump continues to link Latin American criminal networks to national security threats amid his broader crackdown on immigration. Over recent weeks, hundreds of Latin American immigrants have been deported under suspicions of gang affiliations, though officials have provided little supporting evidence.

Despite ongoing pressure from Washington, Brazilian authorities remain firm in distinguishing between domestic organized crime and internationally defined terrorism.