US Designates PCC and Comando Vermelho as Terrorist Groups

The United States State Department announced on 28 May 2026 that Brazil’s two largest criminal organisations, Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV), will be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) from 5 June 2026. Until the FTO designation takes effect, both groups are classified as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs), a status that restricts financial transactions under United States sanctions rules.

Foreign Terrorist Organization designation

The FTO designation is used by the United States under immigration and counterterrorism law. It allows the United States to impose financial sanctions, travel restrictions, and law-enforcement measures against designated groups and associated persons.

Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho

The PCC and CV are among the largest criminal organisations in Brazil. The PCC was formed in São Paulo, and Comando Vermelho emerged in Rio de Janeiro prison networks. Both groups are linked to drug trafficking, armed violence, prison control, and transnational criminal networks. United States officials described the PCC and CV as two of the most violent criminal organisations in Brazil. The groups have been linked to attacks on police, public officials, and civilians, and their networks extend beyond Brazil into the United States, Europe, and other parts of Latin America.

Brazil–United States political context

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has stated that such a designation amounts to interference in Brazil’s internal politics. The announcement came ahead of Brazil’s October 2026 presidential elections. Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, met President Donald Trump in the week of 25 May 2026 to seek the designation. The Trump administration has used FTO designations against several Latin American criminal organisations since January 2025.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Foreign Terrorist Organization designation is issued by the United States Department of State under United States law.
• Specially Designated Global Terrorist status is used by the United States Treasury and State Department for sanctions-related restrictions.
• Primeiro Comando da Capital is commonly abbreviated as PCC, and Comando Vermelho is commonly abbreviated as CV.
• Brazil’s presidential election is scheduled for October 2026.

Transnational crime networks

Criminal organisations with transnational links often operate across drug trafficking routes, prison systems, and money-laundering channels. The PCC and CV have been associated with such cross-border criminal activity in Latin America, Europe, and the United States.