The United States is not initially targeting Pix, Brazil’s instant-payment system, as it implements sanctions tied to its designation of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) as foreign terrorist organizations, according to single-source reporting from Revista Oeste.
Amanda Roberson, a Portuguese-language spokeswoman for the US State Department, told Poder360 that Washington’s focus is on people and entities that provide material support to the two Brazilian criminal factions. She said intent would matter in any possible enforcement case.
What Washington Says
Roberson said the designations are now entering an implementation phase. She did not rule out specific future cases, but said Brazil’s financial sector is generally sophisticated and understands its responsibilities under US law, according to the report.
Pix is run by Brazil’s Central Bank and has become the country’s dominant real-time payment infrastructure, used by individuals, companies and public agencies. Because criminal groups also use the formal financial system, any US sanctions against Brazilian organizations can raise questions about how banks and payment providers should screen transactions.
The spokeswoman’s comments suggest that Washington is not treating the payment rail itself as the target. Instead, the sanctions regime aims at blocking financial activity and support networks linked to the PCC and CV.
No Military Authorization
Roberson also rejected the idea that the classification gives the US government authority for military intervention. She said US law on designations does not provide for military action and described the consequences as visa restrictions and financial restrictions intended to limit criminal activity and support.
The PCC, born in São Paulo’s prison system, and the CV, rooted in Rio de Janeiro’s criminal underworld, are Brazil’s most powerful organized-crime groups. Both operate beyond street-level drug trafficking, with influence in prisons, cross-border smuggling routes and money laundering networks.
According to the report, the State Department official said PCC and CV activity had been detected in one in four US states. The two factions are among 17 organizations in the Western Hemisphere classified by Washington as foreign terrorist organizations.
Political Context
Roberson denied that Brazilian Senator Flávio Bolsonaro influenced the decision by President Donald Trump’s administration. Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, met Trump at the White House on May 26 and also met Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the same trip. The US designation was announced two days later.
The spokeswoman said Trump makes decisions independently. Asked about criticism from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, of the Workers’ Party (PT), she said each leader could have his own opinion.
She also emphasized cooperation between Brasília and Washington. The United States and Brazil have had diplomatic and economic ties for more than 200 years, and Roberson said the two large economies need to work together on trade, technology and security issues.
For Brazil, the designation adds an international layer to the fight against organized crime. For banks, fintechs and payment firms, the practical question will be how US sanctions compliance applies to suspected links with the PCC and CV without treating ordinary Pix activity as inherently suspect.