The United States Department of State issued this Thursday, the 28th, a statement informing the designation of criminal groups Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) as global terrorist organizations. On June 5, the two organizations will also appear on a second list of foreign terrorist organizations.
The measure was announced outside the Lula da Silva government, and after explicit request and political support from the opposition presidential candidate and senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ). When sought for comment, Itamaraty has not yet commented. The senator, for his part, celebrated on his social media profile: “Great day!”.
The parliamentarian visited the American president, Donald Trump, last Tuesday, the 26th, and said he had pleaded for the inclusion of the factions on the list of international terrorist organizations. The following day, the senator met with Rubio, with whom he discussed the matter.
Despite the designation one day after the meeting with Rubio, the Trump administration had been studying for months the framing of the two groups and maintained dialogue with the Brazilian government about the intention to implement this plan.
The statement was signed by Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. He states in the text that the two factions have influence and illicit connections that “extend far beyond the borders of Brazil, from our region and are within our country (the United States).”
“The Trump administration will continue to use all available tools to protect our nation and our security interests, keeping illicit drugs off our streets and ending the streams of revenue that fund violent narcoterrorists,” Rubio wrote.
Flávio and the Bolsonarist base in Congress advocate classifying the factions as terrorists, something rejected by the Planalto Palace. The Brazilian government believes that the designation would, at most, allow the US to promote a military operation on Brazilian soil.
That opposition had already been expressed by Lula to Trump and his secretaries. During a White House visit in early May, the Brazilian president proposed bilateral cooperation between the two countries as an alternative to avoid designating the factions as terrorist organizations and signaled that Brazil treats the issue as a priority. But the State Department’s decision did not depend on Brazil’s agreement.
Flávio, in turn, said he told Trump that he would support the measure if elected and that he would also lead Brazil to join the Americas Shield political and military coalition, launched in March by the Republican with support from 17 countries to promote military actions in the fight against drug trafficking. Flávio Bolsonaro said he made an “explicit request” to Trump to frame the PCC and CV factions.
American Interests
The objective of the designation by the United States is to facilitate freezing drug-trafficking assets, investigation and monitoring of faction members, exchange of intelligence, the application of financial sanctions, visa bans, and the criminalization of material support, with weapons, money, or training, among others.
Although American law does not authorize military attacks based on such a designation, it is common for organizations labeled as terrorists to be targeted militarily by the US outside its territory. Trump has also been questioned for not seeking Congressional or United Nations Security Council approval for military strikes. Something similar occurred in Venezuela.
Before the military operation in Caracas to capture Nicolás Maduro, the US designated as terrorists the Venezuelan factions Tren de Aragua and Los Soles Cartel. The US Department of Justice even formally charged Maduro with leading Los Soles, but later backed down.
The argument of fighting narcotraffic was used by the Trump administration to position vessels and aircraft in the Caribbean Sea. They bombarded small boats accused of transporting drugs, without demonstrating their illegal or violent activity, and later served as the basis for the attack that toppled Maduro.
Diplomatic sources also cite the risk that the Brazilian financial system could be targeted by American sanctions because of the money flow from organized crime, even if banks are unaware of the illicit origin of the funds.
PCC and CV will be on two lists of terrorist organizations. The first, which deals with global organization, is drawn up by the State Department and is more inclined to initiate actions against the faction also in the financial arena. The second, foreign terrorist organization, is also officialized by the State Department and serves to guide criminal investigations and curb illegal immigration.
