On the Radar: Trump in Colombia’s Elections, a Blow to Tren de Aragua, and Brazil’s Terrorist Tag

What do the latest foreign terrorist designations mean for Brazil?

How does Tren de Aragua launder money in Chile?

And how is US President Donald Trump influencing Colombia’s elections?

This week’s top three organized crime stories in On the Radar.

1: The United States Designates Brazil’s PCC and CV Gangs as Global Terrorists 

The US State Department finally designated the Brazilian criminal groups First Capital Command (Primeiro Comando da Capital – PCC) and Red Command (Comando Vermelho – CV) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, starting June 5. 

Any individuals, businesses, or banks working, knowingly or not, with the gangs could now have their assets frozen or be charged with supporting terrorism, which could have a widespread impact on Brazil’s economy. Here’s more about the PCC and CV, and what the financial implications for the businesses surrounding them could be.

2: Tren de Aragua Money Laundering Hit in Chile

Chilean authorities dismantled a major money laundering operation linked to Tren de Aragua, according to reports and government statements.

19 people, including one bank executive, were arrested after a two-year investigation into extortion and other of Tren de Aragua’s criminal activities in Chile’s capital, Santiago. Reports suggest the criminal cell involved had moved almost $90 million, further evidence of the organization’s economic growth. 

Check out our coverage on Tren de Aragua and its criminal expansion, as well as the fact and fiction around the gang, in our coverage.

3: Could Colombia Get Back in President Trump’s Good Books?

US President Donald Trump endorsed Abelardo de la Espriella days after the far-right candidate won the first round of Colombia’s presidential election on Sunday.

“Because of his tremendous achievements in life and his political support for me personally, it is an honor for me to give Abelardo my complete and total endorsement,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. 

Colombia’s outgoing president, Gustavo Petro, has had a difficult relationship with the United States during his tenure, which resulted in Colombia—long a US proxy in the region on anti-narcotics—being decertified as an anti-drug ally. 

The endorsement from Trump could be a massive boost for de la Espriella on June 21. The move is the latest example of how the United States is influencing the security strategy—and violence connected to it—in the region.

You can read more about it on InSightcrime.org this week, as well as find profiles on all the criminal groups and dynamics featured today.