Bolsonaro seeks US terror designation for Brazilian gangs in White House meeting
Flavio Bolsonaro’s request comes as he faces polling setbacks and contrasts his approach with President Lula da Silva’s opposition to US military involvement.
Brazilian conservative presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro has formally requested that the United States designate two of the country’s largest criminal organisations, Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), as terrorist entities. The senator made the appeal during a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, arguing that the prison and street gangs satisfy the criteria for such a classification, similar to the "narco-terrorist" designations previously applied to cartels in Mexico and Colombia.
Bolsonaro told reporters in Washington that he specifically approached Trump to secure the designation, stating, "I went specifically to ask him to designate the CV and PCC as terrorist organizations, because that's what they are." The 45-year-old senator further indicated that a future administration under his leadership would seek to join Trump’s security alliance for the Americas, a coalition launched in March with 17 Latin American and Caribbean nations, positioning Brazil as a key player in regional security.
The diplomatic overture occurs against a backdrop of domestic political volatility for Bolsonaro. The conservative hopeful is currently experiencing a dip in polling numbers linked to his association with a banker who has been jailed for a multi-million dollar fraud scandal. Despite these challenges, Bolsonaro portrayed the White House visit as a demonstration of independence, claiming he did not ask for a statement of support from the US president and contrasting his stance with that of incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Lula’s left-wing government has strongly opposed the terror designation, warning that it could precipitate US military action both inside and outside Brazil. The Brazilian president raised similar objections during his own White House visit two weeks prior. Bolsonaro characterised Lula’s approach as subservient, claiming the incumbent "goes on his knees, crawling, to beg the US president Trump," whereas he maintained a more assertive diplomatic posture.
Relations between the Trump administration and the current Brazilian government remain strained, partly due to Washington’s previous criticism of the legal proceedings against Bolsonaro’s father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently serving a sentence for attempting to stage a coup. While Flavio Bolsonaro claimed the White House meeting was initiated at Washington’s request, the Australian Associated Press was unable to confirm the invitation. The outcome of the October election, which polls suggest Lula has recently retaken the lead in, will determine whether Brazil pursues the proposed security alignment.
