Lula rejects Trump's terrorist designation for Brazilian gangs
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva described the alleged coup plot linked to former president Jair Bolsonaro as “state terrorism” on Friday, while discussing his government's efforts to combat organised crime.
Speaking at an event in Rio de Janeiro, Lula questioned the Trump administration's decision to designate Brazilian criminal groups Comando Vermelho (CV) and Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) as terrorist organisations.
“When Trump speaks of terrorism, he speaks of state terrorism,” Lula said. “Who did that? It was Bolsonaro, when he tried to stage the coup of 8 January. That is terrorism.”
Lula also referred to the “Green and Yellow Dagger” plan drafted by retired general Mario Fernandes, a former official in Bolsonaro's government. According to investigators, the document envisaged killing then president-elect Lula, vice-president-elect Geraldo Alckmin and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
Despite questioning the US designation, Lula compared the impact of criminal groups on communities to terrorism, citing extortion and restrictions imposed on residents.
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“Those criminals are terrorists for the families who live in the neighbourhood,” he said.
Lula said organised crime had expanded its presence across Brazil's major cities and that authorities would focus first on disrupting criminal groups' logistics and movement before seeking to regain control of affected territories.
Public security has become a major issue ahead of Brazil's October 4 presidential election. Lula is seeking a fourth non-consecutive term, with Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, Jair Bolsonaro's son, among his main opponents. An AtlasIntel/Bloomberg poll published on September 17 put Lula at 44.1% and Flavio Bolsonaro at 41.7% in a first-round scenario; the survey had a one-percentage-point margin of error.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
