Trump's war on drug cartels could gain powerful new ally after pivotal election

Brazil could become a key partner in the US-led fight against Latin American drug cartels if Flávio Bolsonaro wins the country's October 25 runoff election, according to his brother Eduardo Bolsonaro. The potential alliance would significantly expand the Trump administration's Shield of the Americas initiative, which aims to enhance security cooperation across the Western Hemisphere.

Anti-cartel coalition expands

The Shield of the Americas focuses on intelligence sharing, military coordination, and disrupting cartel financing among participating countries. Brazil has not joined under current left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, but Eduardo Bolsonaro confirmed that a conservative victory would change this approach.

Cartels designated as terrorists

The Trump administration designated eight major criminal organizations as both Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists in February 2025. These include Tren de Aragua, MS-13, the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the Northeast Cartel, the Gulf Cartel, La Nueva Familia Michacana and Carteles Unidos.

In Brazil, criminal groups such as Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho have become major forces in the regional drug trade. Their inclusion in the coalition would address significant security challenges in South America.

Regional cooperation grows

The initiative already includes Argentina, El Salvador and Peru, with Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay and Chile also participating. US officials have consistently linked cartel activity to the trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the United States.

Senator Tom Cotton has attributed hundreds of thousands of American deaths to cartel-linked drug overdoses. The coalition's broader goals include combating drug trafficking, disrupting criminal financing, and strengthening cooperation among law enforcement and military officials across the region.