Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva launched a new plan on Tuesday to fight organized crime as Brazil heads toward October's presidential election. [1, 2]
Lula said the plan was meant to send a message to criminal groups that they would no longer control territory, and he tied the effort to a broader push against organized crime. "Today's event serves as a signal to organized crime, telling them that very soon, they will no longer be the masters of any territory," Lula said. [1]
The plan aims to squeeze criminal factions financially by disrupting money laundering and illicit markets linked to them, including arms trafficking. Reports named Brazil's two main crime groups as Comando Vermelho, or Red Command, and First Capital Command, known as PCC. [2, 3]
Those groups are described as controlling large areas in Brazil while profiting from drug trafficking, arms trafficking and extortion. Security has emerged as the top voter concern ahead of the economy and corruption in surveys before the October election, adding pressure on Lula as he seeks a fourth non-consecutive term at age 80. [2, 3]
The plan also comes after Lula discussed security cooperation with US President Donald Trump last week. Lula said, "I told President Trump that if he was willing to seriously tackle the fight against organized crime, Brazil possessed the expertise and was eager to work together." Brazil has also stepped up intelligence sharing with the US in recent weeks to combat arms and drug trafficking. [1, 2]
The government has earmarked about $200 million in direct funding for the anti-crime effort in 2026, and reports also say $2 billion is set aside for security equipment. [2, 3]
