President Trump’s State Department just expanded the narco-terror crackdown into Brazil, naming two of the country’s deadliest criminal syndicates as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. On May 28, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the designations for Comando Vermelho and Primeiro Comando da Capital, better known as the PCC. The administration also signaled intent to designate both groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, with that step taking effect June 5, 2026 upon Federal Register publication. Rubio laid out the reasoning directly. Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho are two of the most violent criminal organizations in Brazil. Their reach extends throughout our region and into our country.  Today, I designated these organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated… — Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 28, 2026 The official release said the two groups command thousands of members and have carried out brutal attacks against Brazilian police officers, public officials, and civilians. Fox News Digital reported the syndicates likely have more than 50,000 members combined, citing the Associated Press. A Department of State release republished by Mirage News gave the formal language: Today, the U.S. Department of State is designating Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) and intends to designate both groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), effective June 5, 2026. CV and PCC are two of the most violent criminal organizations in Brazil. Together, they command thousands of members and have orchestrated brutal attacks against Brazilian police officers, public officials, and civilians. Their influence and illicit networks extend far beyond Brazil’s borders, across our region and into our country. The Trump Administration will continue to use all available tools to protect our nation and our national security interests by keeping illicit drugs off our streets and disrupting the revenue streams funding violent narco-terrorists. Today’s action taken by the State Department further demonstrates the Trump Administration’s unwavering commitment to dismantling cartels and criminal organizations in our region and ensuring the safety of the American people. Today’s actions are taken pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224. FTO designations go into effect upon publication in the Federal Register. The terror label gives U.S. authorities sharper tools to choke off money, freeze assets, and go after the support networks that keep these organizations running. Rubio noted the reach of both groups stretches throughout the region and into the United States, which is the point of pulling them into a legal framework already used against violent cartels. The push had a clear ally inside Brazil. Fox News Digital reported the designation followed a Washington meeting between President Trump and conservative Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who urged the administration to label the gangs as terrorist entities. After the announcement, Bolsonaro thanked President Trump and Rubio publicly. O povo brasileiro de bem agradece a atenção e o compromisso do @SecRubio e do @realDonaldTrump . Essa luta é de todos nós. Vamos dar um basta nesses grupos! O Brasil merece ter paz! O Brasil tem futuro! pic.twitter.com/2nCxP0082o — Flávio Bolsonaro (@FlavioBolsonaro) May 28, 2026 His message said Brazil’s law-abiding people are grateful, that the fight belongs to everyone, and that Brazil deserves peace and has a future. Not everyone in Brasília is cheering. Fox News Digital reported that Lula da Silva’s government opposes the designation, arguing the gangs are criminal enterprises rather than ideologically motivated terrorist groups. Brazilian authorities have separately launched a financial crackdown targeting fraud and money-laundering networks tied to PCC operations. That makes the fight over the terror label more than a diplomatic argument. For now, the SDGT designation is immediate. The Foreign Terrorist Organization step locks in June 5, and from there the administration has another lever to squeeze two of the most violent organizations in the hemisphere. This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.