Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio da Silva vehemently rejected the United States’ designation of the First Capital Command (PCC) and the Red Command as foreign terrorist organizations, asserting that Brazil will not be treated as a “tinpot country” and that national sovereignty is non-negotiable. This move is perceived as a political boon for presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, who met with US officials during his visit. Brazil already actively combats these groups, which have grown from prison origins to become major Latin American criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking. While international cooperation is welcomed, arbitrary measures imposed from abroad that attack Brazil’s sovereignty and economy are unacceptable.
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Brazil’s recent rejection of a US request to classify local gangs, specifically the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV), as terrorist organizations highlights a significant disagreement over the application of this loaded term. The US proposal, seemingly driven by a desire to expand its powers over immigration and deportation, appears to be a thinly veiled attempt to leverage the label “terrorist” as a tool for broader political maneuvering.
The core of Brazil’s resistance lies in the inherent mismatch between the nature of these criminal organizations and the legal definition of terrorism. While the PCC and CV undoubtedly pose serious challenges to Brazilian society through their extensive criminal activities, their actions don’t neatly align with the criteria for terrorism.… Continue reading
Atmospheric CO2 levels surged to a record 3.58 ppm increase in 2024, exceeding predictions and driven by record fossil fuel emissions, diminished carbon absorption by natural sinks, and significant wildfire emissions. This rapid increase far surpasses the rate needed to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C warming target, as outlined by the IPCC. The 2024 increase in emissions, reaching 41.6 billion tonnes, further underscores the urgency of emissions reduction. While the projected increase for 2025 is slower, it remains insufficient to align with the IPCC’s climate goals.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood