{"id":11395,"date":"2026-06-01T19:33:27","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T19:33:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=11395"},"modified":"2026-06-01T19:33:27","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T19:33:27","slug":"experts-say-us-targeting-of-brazilian-gangs-is-an-attempt-to-sway-election-there","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=11395","title":{"rendered":"Experts say US targeting of Brazilian gangs is an attempt to sway election there"},"content":{"rendered":"

By EL\u00c9ONORE HUGHES and MAURICIO SAVARESE<\/strong><\/p>\n

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) \u2014 The U.S. decision to classify two Brazilian gangs as terrorist organizations is a political one aimed at boosting an ally of President Donald Trump, the son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, politicians and analysts say.<\/p>

Read more Disneyland\u2019s Soarin\u2019 Across America: 12 U.S. landmarks that made the cut and 12 that got left out<\/a><\/p>\n

The gangs join eight other Latin American organized crime groups designated by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations. But unlike the rest, they don\u2019t operate in the United States.<\/p>\n

The listing of First Capital Command, known as PCC, and Red Command, or CV, followed a visit by presidential hopeful Sen. Fl\u00e1vio Bolsonaro to Washington last week. He said he asked Trump administration officials to extend the designation to them.<\/p>\n

Bolsonaro hopes to unseat incumbent President Luiz In\u00e1cio Lula da Silva in October\u2019s elections. The U.S. decision shores up the senator\u2019s tough-on-crime credentials while highlighting Bolsonaro\u2019s criticism of Lula\u2019s handling of public security.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main driver of this decision was politics,\u201d to pressure Lula and help Fl\u00e1vio prior to the October election,\u201d said Latin America expert Brian Winter, who edits Americas Quarterly, a publication of the New York-based Council of Americas.<\/p>\n