The United States government has raised its tone against Brazil by stating that the country has become a hub of global cocaine trafficking routes due to the actions of the criminal factions Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV). The assessment is contained in the presidential determination on the major transit and production countries of illicit drugs for fiscal year 2027, sent by the U.S. president to Congress and released this Wednesday by the spokesman for the U.S. State Department.
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In the document, the American administration states that the Brazilian government “failed to confront” the two organizations, which Washington classifies as foreign terrorist organizations, and warns that they pose a growing threat to international security.
“These Brazilian terrorist organizations are a growing threat to peace and security around the world, and the Brazilian government urgently needs to adopt aggressive measures to confront and defeat them before they expand even further,” the text states.
Although Brazil does not appear on the official list of major drug transit or production countries released this year, the country received one of the presidential determination’s most direct criticisms amid the broader assessment of the United States’ strategy to combat international drug trafficking.
The document identifies 23 countries as major centers of drug trafficking or production, including Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, China, and India. The presence on the list, according to Washington, does not necessarily reflect the actions of local governments, but geographic, economic, and commercial factors that favor drug trafficking or production.
Additionally, the United States classified Afghanistan, Bolivia, Myanmar, and Colombia as countries that “demonstrably failed” to meet international commitments to combat drug trafficking in the last 12 months. Despite this, Washington decided to maintain assistance to Bolivia, Myanmar, and Colombia because such cooperation is vital to American national interests.
The text also pressures Mexico and Canada, stating that both need to expand their efforts to curb the flow of drugs to the United States. Regarding Mexico, the American government acknowledged drug seizures, the dismantling of clandestine laboratories, and cooperation in capturing cartel leaders, but stated that the country still needs to intensify the fight against the criminal organizations that control parts of its territory.
The determination also cites China as the world’s largest producer of several chemical precursors used in the manufacture of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other synthetic drugs. According to Washington, despite recent advances in bilateral cooperation, Beijing needs to adopt stricter measures to block the export of these substances.
At the same time, the American government highlighted progress in cooperation with some Latin American countries, including Venezuela, Bolivia, and Colombia, and praised the governments of Argentina, Ecuador, and El Salvador for their fight against drug trafficking and organized crime.
The assessment of Brazil comes at a moment of growing international attention to the role of the PCC and the Red Command in global cocaine trafficking networks, especially on routes linking South America to Europe and Africa. In the American government’s view, the strengthening of these factions has increased the country’s prominence in international drug-trafficking networks, prompting calls for a stronger, more decisive response from Brazilian authorities.
