US designates two Brazilian gangs as ‘terrorist’ organizations | Donald Trump News

The United States has announced its intention to designate two Brazilian terrorist organizations as “terrorist” organizations, continuing the push led by President Donald Trump to blur the distinction between terrorists and “terrorists”.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that the names will look at Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Red Commandtwo of the biggest gangs in Brazil.

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The “Foreign Terrorist Organisation” list will come into effect from June 5.

Meanwhile, Rubio explained that he had already been assigned to the “Specially Designated Global Terrorists” group, a similar group that comes from the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

Both designations prevent these groups from accessing U.S. assets, although “foreign terrorist” is considered a restriction.

Rubio said these measures are necessary to keep US citizens safe.

“The Trump administration will continue to use all available tools to protect our nation and our national security by keeping drugs off our streets and disrupting the money that supports violent criminals,” Rubio said. words.

Since returning to the White House for a second term, Trump has sought “terrorist” designations for several Latin American gangs.

The efforts have been criticized as a reason to expand the US military power Across the Western Hemisphere, as part of Trump’s “Donroe Doctrine,” they focus on a 19th-century development policy known as the Monroe Doctrine.

But the decision to choose two terrorist groups in Brazil can cause fear in South American politics, when the presidential election is taking place.

Media reports have indicated that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is involved repeatedly tried to stop it Trump’s administration to use the name “terrorists”.

The fear is that such a designation could be used to punish any group that faces the so-called “terrorist” group, including financial institutions and victims of torture.

Lula has also said that he is concerned about the matter the growing threat of foreign interference in Latin America, especially after the military operation of January 3 when the US seized the President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro.

Lula is running for a fourth consecutive term as president in the October presidential race. Although Lula is an opponent of Trump, his main rival, the right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonarohe has close ties with US officials.

Thursday’s announcement comes after Trump met with Bolsonaro this week at the White House. The senator later told reporters that he had asked Trump to designate the PCC and Comando Vermelho as terrorist groups.

Trump has previously intervened in Brazilian politics on behalf of the Bolsonaro family.

Last year, he raised Brazil’s tax rate to nearly 50 percent in a deal with Bolsonaro’s father, former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Like Trump, Jair Bolsonaro was accused of trying to subvert democracy after losing the 2022 elections. Although Trump asked for the case against Bolsonaro to be dropped, the former president was sentenced to 27 years in prison.

The youngest son of the former president, Eduardo Bolsonaro, he is currently facing charges for thwarting Trump’s desire to intervene on his father’s behalf.

The question of social security is likely to be central to the race between Flavio Bolsonaro and Lula, who polls show are neck and neck.

Recent clashes between the police and gangs such as Comando Vermelho are also expected to weigh heavily on the presidential election.

For example, last October, the police attack in Rio de Janeiro left a lot to be desired 120 people died. Another operation in March proved fatal eight people.

Opponents of attacking the police say that many years of military struggle it has encouraged violence and violations of rights.

“The fight against armed youth drug traffickers is not effective and cannot deal with the problem of money laundering and its links with crime,” Luis Flavio Sapori, a public security expert at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, told the Associated Press.

In order to address public security concerns, Lula set aside $2bn in March to spend on organized crime groups such as the PCC and Comando Vermelho.

The money is also expected to be used to disrupt the arms trade, improve prisons and fund murder investigations.

After Thursday’s attacks, Celso Amorim, Lula’s adviser on foreign affairs, warned that the US should not use this symbol to violate Brazilian rights.

“International cooperation is welcome, especially when it comes to money laundering and arms trade,” Amorim said.

But, he added, “any supporting reason” would be “unacceptable”.