Brazilian President rejects US 'terrorist' label for gangs

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday rejected Washington's decision to designate two domestic criminal groups as terrorist entities, denouncing the move as unacceptable interference following a visit to the White House by his chief political rival.

Sovereignty row erupts over gang designations

The Trump administration officially labeled the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and the Comando Vermelho (CV) as terrorist organizations on Friday. The designation came shortly after Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro — son of former President Jair Bolsonaro and Lula's opponent in upcoming October elections — met with President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington.

Speaking at a fertilizer plant inauguration in the northeastern municipality of Laranjeiras, Lula declared that Brazil would not accept being treated "like children" or as a "second-rate country." He emphasized that national sovereignty remains non-negotiable and that external dictates undermine the country's autonomous security framework.

Diplomatic note warns of cooperation risks

The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official diplomatic note coinciding with Lula's speech, warning that unilateral external measures could derail intelligence-sharing pipelines between law enforcement agencies. "Unilateral, unnegotiated measures weaken the fight against criminals," the ministry stated, adding that such actions reduce capacity for information exchange and endanger innocent lives.

The statement emphasized that Brazilians alone possess the authority to define how crime is classified and combated within their territory, utilizing domestic institutions, laws, and security forces. Brasilia cautioned that arbitrary designations made without negotiation actively threaten operational cooperation between police forces.

President accuses rival of treason

Lula directly accused Senator Bolsonaro of treason for allegedly soliciting American intervention in Brazil's domestic security matters, characterizing the opposition leader's actions as political manipulation. "The safety of our people is too important to be politically manipulated by traitors who try to confuse these issues," he said, referring to Bolsonaro family members advocating for foreign interference.

While conceding that the PCC and CV indeed terrorize millions of Brazilians living in vulnerable urban peripheries, Lula maintained that Brazil possesses sufficient legal frameworks and police capacity to dismantle these syndicates without external assistance. He suggested that Washington could demonstrate concrete commitment to combating transnational crime by extraditing Brazilian gang leaders residing in Miami rather than issuing unilateral labels.