Former White House counselors are at risk of sanctions to Brazil
Former White House counselors warn that the CCP classification and other criminal groups such as terrorists could make a way for any sanctions against Brazil by the US.
In recent weeks, US delegations have insisted on the need for organized crime in Brazil to receive the classification of “terrorism”, a proposal rejected by the Lula government. Already some exponents of pockets have been defending the idea of Donald Trump’s government.
On Thursday, however, former American executive-executive in democratic governments pointed out that the measure, if accepted by Brazil, would have a profound impact on relations between the two countries.
The statements were made in São Paulo, at the 2nd International Seminar on Public Security, Human Rights and Democracy, organized by Iree (Institute for the reform of relations between state and company) and the IDP (Brazilian Institute of Teaching, Development and Research).
One of the alerts comes from Nicholas Zimmerman, who served as senior counselor of the US ambassador to the United Nations, the White House National Security Council, as director for Brazil and the Southern Cone and as a special assistant in the Office of the Under -Secretary of Defense.
“If the Brazilian government eventually changes its position, in terms of politics, it could bring short -term benefits, as it would be an attitude that would be well received by the current government in Washington. But I am skeptical,” he said.
“This short -term benefit would not result in real changes in the fight against crime,” he said.
“I fear that, in the medium term, political relations would be even more complex and difficult,” he said. According to him, this change would change the cooperation regime between the two countries.
Its assessment is that, under new rules, new requirements of controls would also be established.
Zimmerman recalls that criminal groups in Brazil are “increasingly infiltrated in the national economy”
“We can start to see fundamentals for sanctions,” he warned.
“US sanction policies are clear and that does not seem to be a revenue for closer cooperation,” said the former counselor, who is a founding partner of the dynamic Americas.
Ricardo Zúñiga, former secretary of the US State Department and former Member of the US National Security Council, also warned.
The American pointed out that the country has a legal structure to fight organized crime and that classifying them as “terrorists” is a gesture that must be understood within the context of Trump’s immigration policy.
“The consequence of this classification is that an organization is no longer criminal and becomes a terrorist, which is a totally different regime. This has an impact on companies, institutions and individuals,” he said. “It totally changes,” he insisted.
Weapon
Zúñiga, who was a American consul in Sao Paulo, told how, during her stay in the country, received information that more than half of the weapons used in homicides in Brazil came from the US.
“The flow of weapons to the south is one of the main products that fund groups in the US,” he said. According to him, the change in the CCP classification to a terrorist group would also have an impact on this supply of weapons. “Before, it would be a crime. Now it would be support for terrorism,” he warned. “The change is deep,” he said.
