Flavio Bolsonaro Seeks US Support Against Brazilian Organized Crime
In a notable move as Brazil’s presidential election season heats up, conservative candidate Flavio Bolsonaro recently met with former U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. During this meeting, Bolsonaro requested Trump to designate two notorious Brazilian organized crime groups—the Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC)—as terrorist organizations. This request comes amid growing concerns over crime in Brazil and an ongoing political campaign that finds Bolsonaro locked in a competitive race with current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro, a prominent senator and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, articulated his perspective on the matter to reporters, asserting, “I went specifically to ask him to designate the CV and PCC as terrorist organizations, because that’s what they are.” The CV and PCC are infamous for their involvement in drug trafficking, extortion, and violent crime, and have been likened to the Mexican and Colombian cartels that the Trump administration previously labeled as “narco-terrorists.”
The timing of Bolsonaro’s request is particularly significant as he navigates a dip in polling numbers attributed to controversies surrounding his ties to a banker implicated in a multimillion-dollar fraud scandal. His push for designating these gangs comes against a backdrop of rising crime rates and political tensions in Brazil.
Current President Lula da Silva has opposed Bolsonaro’s request by arguing that such a designation could result in U.S. military intervention against these groups both within and outside of Brazil. Lula’s administration has emphasized diplomatic dialogue rather than military solutions to address organized crime.
The political climate in Brazil remains fraught. Lula recently made his own appeal to Trump during a White House visit, signaling the complexities of U.S.-Brazil relations and highlighting vastly different approaches to crime and security between the two candidates. Reflecting on Lula’s outreach, Flavio Bolsonaro remarked, “Lula goes on his knees, crawling, to beg the US president Trump. I do the opposite,” indicating his strategy of leaning on U.S. support for a stronger stance against crime.
Beyond his immediate request, Flavio Bolsonaro expressed aspirations for Brazil to join Trump’s recent security alliance for the Americas, launched with the cooperation of 17 Latin American and Caribbean nations in March. “That is Brazil’s place: as a key player in the security of the Americas, shoulder to shoulder with free and sovereign nations,” he stated, highlighting his intent to position Brazil as an ally in regional security matters.
During his visit, Bolsonaro indicated that Trump showed interest in his campaign but clarified that there were no formal statements of support from the U.S. leader, which he deemed as appropriate.
This ongoing political saga reflects deeper tensions within Brazil and its approach to organized crime, as well as the international ramifications of these internal disputes. As electoral campaigns progress, the strategic requests made by candidates like Flavio Bolsonaro underscore how international relations and domestic policies intersect in significant ways.
As the election date approaches, Brazilian voters will need to consider how these issues impact their nation’s future, particularly concerning security, governance, and relations with powerful allies like the United States.
