The State Department will announce on Thursday that it is planning to designate Brazil’s two most powerful organized criminal syndicates, the Comando Vermelho (Red Command) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (First Capital Command, or PCC), as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) and Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). The designations impose onerous sanctions on the gangs and their members, block them from keeping their assets in the United States or freeze assets already in the country, and make it illegal for American citizens to offer material support to them. In a statement on Thursday, the State Department explained that the PCC and Red Command pose a significant security threat both in Brazil and internationally and engage in violent narco-terrorism throughout South America, meriting the designation.
The designations will become effective on June 5. “Together, they command thousands of members and have orchestrated brutal attacks against Brazilian police officers, public officials, and civilians,” the State Department explained of the two syndicates. “Their influence and illicit networks extend far beyond Brazil’s borders, across our region and into our country.” “The Trump Administration will continue to use all available tools to protect our nation and our national security interests by keeping illicit drugs off our streets and disrupting the revenue streams funding violent narco-terrorists,” the State Department added. “Today’s action taken by the State Department further demonstrates the Trump Administration’s unwavering commitment to dismantling cartels and criminal organizations in our region and ensuring the safety of the American people.”
