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The president of Brazil, a leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvahas criticized the United States’ decision to designate two South American terrorist groups as “terrorists”, warning that the label could be “set back” on legal efforts.
The objection came in 435 words message was sent to Lula’s social center on Friday.
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In it, Lula drew a line between gangs and international terrorism, which is often used to use violence for political or cultural purposes.
“The terror that these organizations inflict on people in the communities wants to make a profit through crime – especially through the use of drugs and weapons,” Lula wrote.
These activities, even if they are violent, “must not be related to the ideology, politics, or religion involved in international terrorism”, he said.
Lula’s statement came in the wake of yesterday’s announcement from the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Pushback against ‘terrorist’ label
On Thursday, the Secretary of State of the United States Marco Rubio revealed that he designated the two main terrorist groups in Brazil – Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) – “the most famous terrorists in the world”.
He also mentioned plans to add the two groups to the list of “foreign terrorist organizations”, which will take effect on June 5.
Rumors have circulated for months that the Trump administration will use the “terrorist” label on the two groups. But Lula and his ministers pushed back, calling on Trump to step down.
The “terrorist” designation freezes all US assets linked to the target groups, but can also be used to punish anyone who provides “support or material” to them.
Experts have warned that such restrictions could disrupt financial institutions and victims of such groups, businesses and individuals who may be forced to pay.
Lula also expressed concern that the “terrorist” label could pave the way for US military intervention, a fear he reiterated on Friday, though he did not mention Trump.
“We remain ready to develop joint solutions that benefit all countries involved,” Lula said.
“However, we will not tolerate the implementation of illegitimate measures by foreign countries, nor will we accept their use as a pretext to destroy our sovereignty or our economy. Unequal, non-negotiable measures can weaken the fight against terrorism and lead to events that put the lives of people who have no ties to crime.”
A tough decision in Brazil
A popular left-wing leader in Latin America, Lula is in the midst of a tense election season, as he seeks a fourth consecutive term as Brazil’s president.
Previously, he served as president from 2003 to 2011, before being re-elected for a third term in 2022.
In the race, he defeated the right-wing incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro, who would later be convicted of trying to overturn the results of the race. Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence.
His eldest son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, is believed to have supported Trump’s decision to name “terrorists”. The senator is currently competing with Lula for the 2026 presidential election, and the two are not very competitive.
This week, after a visit to the White House, Senator Bolsonaro confirmed to the press that he intends to seek the names of the “terrorists” of Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho.
Trump has a close relationship with the Bolsonaro family, and has intervened in elections around the world on behalf of right-wing candidates.
In a statement on Friday, Lula criticized Senator Bolsonaro for helping to communicate with his family “asking foreign authorities” to favor him.
“It is sad that, once again, members of the Bolsonaro family have gone to the United States to encourage foreign intervention in Brazil,” said Lula.
He also mentioned efforts to block the impeachment of Jair Bolsonaro. Meanwhile, one of the children of the former president, Eduardo Bolsonarois facing obstruction charges related to efforts to persuade Trump to intervene in the case.
Trump finally imposed more sanctions on Brazilian exports in August 2025, citing Bolsonaro’s case as the reason.
Concerns about authority
Under Trump, the US has taken an increasingly Western Hemisphere perspective, reviving the 19th century Monroe Doctrine, which defined America as part of Washington.
Trump himself has used crime as a pretext for military action in the region. Since September, its authorities have carried out 59 raids against alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean, killing at least 196 people.
And on January 3, he launched an early morning military operation against Venezuela, which resulted in President Nicolas Maduro being jailed on drug-trafficking charges.
While Bolsonaro’s family has courted Trump in recent months, Lula has criticized the military-led move as unfair.
But security is expected to be a big issue in the October presidential race. The designation of “terrorists” this week should put Lula in a difficult position, forcing him to criticize the label without undermining the extent of the violence.
Lula has tried to counter right-wing criticism that he has not slowed down on crime, pointing to his government’s recent $11bn investment in the “Brazil Against Organized Crime” program.
This follows another $2bn program in March to strengthen the country’s prisons, improve homicide investigations and crack down on arms smuggling and other financial activities carried out by gangs.
However, Lula and Bolsonaro remain neck and neck in the run-up to the October election.
On May 16, Mr Rating company Datafolha has been found that all candidates will receive 45 percent of the voters in each individual race, and 9 percent of the voters indicate that they will lose the vote.
Another 1 percent said they were undecided.
