US Designates Brazil’s PCC and CV as
Foreign Terrorist Organizations
¨ United States Department
of State announced on 28 May 2026 that Brazil’s two largest criminal
organizations—Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV)—will
be designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) effective 5 June 2026.
¨
Until the FTO designation
takes effect, both groups are classified as Specially Designated Global
Terrorists (SDGTs), which restrict financial transactions under US sanctions
regulations.
¨
The FTO designation is
used under US immigration and counter-terrorism laws.
¨ It enables the United
States to impose financial sanctions, travel restrictions, and law enforcement
actions against designated groups and associated individuals.
¨
Primeiro Comando da
Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) are among the largest criminal
organisations in Brazil.
¨
PCC originated in São
Paulo, while CV emerged from prison networks in Rio de Janeiro.
¨ These groups are involved
in drug trafficking, armed violence, prison control, and transnational criminal
networks.
¨ US authorities describe them as two of the most violent criminal organisations in Brazil.
¨ Their networks extend beyond Brazil to the United States, Europe, and other parts of Latin America.
