Brazil has expressed concern over the “risk of the United States resorting to military force” on its territory after Washington designated two Brazilian criminal organizations as terrorist groups, according to a letter sent to the country’s parliament.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has opposed the designation, arguing that the U.S. classification could be interpreted as granting Washington the authority to carry out operations against the groups’ leaders anywhere in the world.
Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, in a letter addressed to parliament, warned that “this designation (…) could be used to justify cross-border actions against Brazilian institutions.”
He added that “there is a risk that the United States could resort to the use of military force against Brazilian territory.”
In May, the U.S. government designated the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (Red Command) as terrorist organizations, stating that both groups operate extensive illicit networks extending well beyond Brazil’s borders.
The two organizations are primarily involved in drug trafficking and generate additional illegal income through criminal activities in Brazil’s urban communities.
Since returning to the White House in 2025, President Donald Trump has expanded the use of terrorist designations against criminal organizations abroad, including Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.
The United States has since carried out deadly operations against Tren de Aragua in Venezuela and launched lethal strikes on vessels that Washington said were linked to drug traffickers in the Caribbean and the Pacific, without presenting public evidence to support those claims.
Source: AFP
