The decision by the United States government to classify Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) as terrorist organizations could have negative effects on the international fight against organized crime, according to Brazilian experts who work directly against criminal factions.
Prosecutor Lincoln Gakiya and Attorney General Mário Luiz Sarrubbo stated that the measure could weaken cooperation between Brazil and the United States, especially in investigations related to drug trafficking and international money laundering.
The assessment of the two experts is that the change alters how factions are treated by American authorities, shifting their classification from being considered a police problem to falling under the military and intelligence sphere.
The change could remove the DEA and FBI from the investigations.
According to Gakiya, one of the leading figures in the fight against the PCC in Brazil, the classification could remove agencies such as the DEA, the US anti-drug agency, and the FBI, the American federal police, from the investigations.
According to him, the case would then be handled primarily by the CIA and American military structures, which would reduce the sharing of information with Brazilian authorities.
"I, for example, exchange information every week with the DEA and the FBI, and with the transfer to the CIA, that will no longer happen," the prosecutor stated.
Gakiya also highlighted that international cooperation has been fundamental to major operations carried out against the PCC in recent years, including actions aimed at combating money laundering and international drug trafficking.
Experts point to risk to Brazilian sovereignty.
Another point raised by the prosecutor involves the legal and military scope of the American decision. Under United States law, organizations classified as terrorist can be targeted by actions conducted by American intelligence and the armed forces in different parts of the world.
Although he considers a scenario of direct action on Brazilian territory to be remote, Gakiya stated that the measure opens the door for this type of operation.
"The State Department is now treating these organizations as a defense problem, not a police problem," he declared.
He further emphasized that the measure also includes economic sanctions, asset freezes, and financial restrictions for individuals and companies linked to criminal factions.
Sarrubbo sees deterioration in international cooperation.
Former National Secretary of Public Security Mário Luiz Sarrubbo agreed with the criticisms made by Gakiya and stated that the decision could harm the international system of police cooperation built up in recent years.
According to him, the dialogue between Brazilian and American security forces has always been conducted primarily by the DEA and the FBI, considered to be agencies with greater institutional openness for the exchange of information.
"The CIA, effectively, doesn't engage in dialogue, it doesn't talk to other agencies," Sarrubbo stated.
According to the prosecutor, the change could weaken joint investigations involving international drug trafficking, money laundering, and financial transactions of organized crime in Latin America.
Sarrubbo recalled that it was precisely with the support of the DEA that Brazilian authorities managed to arrest, in Mozambique, the drug trafficker Gilberto Aparecido dos Santos, known as Fuminho, identified as the right-hand man of Marcola, leader of the PCC.
Economic impact worries Brazilian authorities.
In addition to the effects on public safety, Sarrubbo stated that the decision could have economic impacts on Brazilian companies operating in the United States.
According to him, financial restrictions and stricter American regulations could create obstacles for commercial and financial operations linked to Brazil.
The two experts had previously spoken out against proposals to classify criminal factions as terrorist organizations under Brazilian law.
In their assessment, this type of classification can generate legal conflicts, hinder investigations, and even compromise ongoing proceedings against members of the factions.
Operations have strengthened the fight against the PCC in recent years.
Lincoln Gakiya is considered one of the country's leading authorities in the fight against the PCC. The prosecutor participated in operations such as Ethos, Sharks, Fim de Linha, Carbono Oculto, and Vérnix, all aimed at confronting the São Paulo-based faction.
Mário Luiz Sarrubbo was head of the Public Prosecutor's Office of São Paulo between 2020 and 2024 and participated in the drafting of the anti-gang bill approved by the National Congress in 2025.
The United States' decision has reignited the debate about the legal and operational limits of combating international organized crime and the potential diplomatic and institutional impacts for Brazil.
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