The Brazilian government has formally warned that the United States’ classification of two domestic criminal factions as terrorist organisations creates a risk of American military action on Brazilian soil. In an official letter to the Chamber of Deputies, Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira stated that the designation of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) “could be invoked as justification for extraterritorial actions against Brazilian institutions” and that “there is, moreover, the risk of the use of US military force against national territory.” The communication, sent in response to a parliamentary information request, marks the most explicit public warning from Brasília since Washington announced the designations in late May.

Viewed from Brasília, the US move is a unilateral act that was never formally communicated to Brazilian authorities and that undermines existing bilateral cooperation. The Itamaraty argues that the two groups are profit-driven organised crime networks, not ideological terrorist organisations, and that the existing framework of transnational crime designations already permits intelligence-sharing and joint operations. According to Vieira’s letter, the new classification exposes Brazilian citizens and companies to sweeping extraterritorial measures under US counterterrorism law, including financial sanctions, migration restrictions, and criminal liability, without improving the effectiveness of joint crime-fighting efforts. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had previously rejected the logic of the designations, declaring that no foreign leader has the right to threaten other countries.

In Washington, the State Department has justified the designations by describing PCC and CV as “two of the most violent criminal organisations in Brazil” whose illicit networks extend across the region and into the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio framed the move as part of a broader effort to disrupt the financing of “violent narcoterrorists.” The US Treasury has already imposed sanctions on two Brazilian nationals and three companies accused of laundering over $30 million for the PCC. Brazilian right-wing opposition figures, including Senator Flávio Bolsonaro and Deputy Evair de Melo, have welcomed the designations, accusing the Lula government of laxity ahead of October’s presidential election. Melo, who initiated the parliamentary inquiry, criticised the Itamaraty’s response as insufficient, saying it failed to provide concrete details on diplomatic démarches or inter-agency planning.

The warning over military force draws on recent precedent. Since returning to the White House in 2025, President Donald Trump has expanded terrorist designations to include drug-trafficking groups such as Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua. US forces have conducted lethal strikes against Tren de Aragua inside Venezuela and against vessels described as drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, without presenting public evidence. Brazilian diplomats assess that the broad language of US counterterrorism statutes grants the executive wide discretion to use “all necessary means,” including military operations, against designated entities anywhere in the world. The Itamaraty has also cautioned that the measure could militarise the regional security agenda, raise compliance costs for Brazilian firms, and penalise legitimate economic activity.

The designations took full legal effect on 5 June. The Brazilian government continues to convey its opposition through diplomatic channels while emphasising its commitment to combating organised crime. The dossier remains open in Congress, where Deputy Melo has signalled further parliamentary scrutiny. A separate trade dispute adds to bilateral friction: the Trump administration must decide by 15 July whether to impose 25 percent surtaxes on various Brazilian products following an investigation into allegedly unfair trade practices, accusations Brasília rejects.