The United States government announced on Thursday (28) that it will classify the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) as foreign terrorist organizations starting June 5.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision after Senator Flávio Bolsonaro met with President Donald Trump and US officials, including Vice President JD Vance. The measure allows financial sanctions and asset freezes linked to the groups.
Flávio Bolsonaro celebrated the classification as a “great day” and said his visit achieved more results than the Lula government in years of mandate. Other allies, such as Eduardo Bolsonaro and Sérgio Moro, also praised the initiative.
The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, expressed opposition to the measure. Officials fear the designation could serve as a pretext for external interventions and prefer to treat the fight against organized crime as an internal issue.
The State Department justified the inclusion by claiming the factions are among the most violent in Brazil and that their networks affect regional and US security.
