First Capital Command (PCC)
This entry is a translation of Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC).
First Capital Command / Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) is one of the largest criminal organizations in Brazil, primarily operating in the state of São Paulo, but also throughout the entire country, as well as in neighboring countries such as Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia, and Venezuela. It has around 30,000 members, with 8,000 located solely in São Paulo.
Author: Mairon Azevedo; Dicionário de Favelas Marielle Franco.
About[editar | editar código-fonte]
The organization is primarily funded by drug trafficking, but cargo theft, bank robberies, and kidnappings also contribute to its revenue. The group is present in 90% of the state's prisons, and the private dealings of its leaders and the faction itself have an estimated revenue of at least 400 million reais per year, according to police intelligence. Some police officers and prosecutors believe that this number could reach around 800 million reais.
The group was founded on August 31, 1993, at the Taubaté Penitentiary Rehabilitation Center in the Vale do Paraíba region, 130 km from the city of São Paulo. This facility housed prisoners transferred for being considered high-risk by the authorities. It is estimated that today the group has around 6,000 members within the penitentiary system, and another 2,600 members at large, solely in the state of São Paulo. The PCC is also identified by the numbers 15.3.3, because the letter "P" was the 15th letter of the Portuguese alphabet at the time and the letter "C" was the third.
Several former leaders of the organization are imprisoned, including criminal Marcos Willians Herbas Camacho (known as Marcola), who served a 44-year sentence, primarily for bank robbery, at the Presidente Venceslau Penitentiary Rehabilitation Center, where the faction's entire leadership was incarcerated, until he was transferred along with 21 other PCC criminals to federal maximum-security prisons in Porto Velho (RO), Mossoró (RN), and Brasília (DF) on February 13, 2019.
History[editar | editar código-fonte]
The PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital) was founded in 1993 at the Casa de Custódia de Taubaté, São Paulo, by a group of prisoners seeking protection from the violent and inhumane conditions of the Brazilian penitentiary system. Its origin occurred after the Carandiru massacre in 1992, which left a mark of repression and violence on the prison system. The faction was initially inspired by ideals of justice and equality, with a slogan similar to that of Comando Vermelho: "peace, justice, and freedom." In 2001, the PCC gained national and international attention with the execution of a major rebellion across 29 prisons in São Paulo. This rebellion was a turning point, demonstrating the group's strength and organization and placing the PCC at the center of discussions about public security in Brazil. The faction used the event as a form of protest against prison conditions and, at the same time, a way to assert its presence and power.
In 2002, after internal confrontations and state repression, the leadership of the PCC underwent significant reorganization, with the decentralization of its operations. This ensured that, even with members being arrested, the group continued to function effectively without the need for a centralized leadership. The faction adopted a "tuning" structure, allowing for the continuity of criminal activities.
In 2006, the PCC demonstrated its reach by organizing simultaneous attacks and rebellions in several prisons and states across Brazil, marking its expansion beyond the São Paulo penitentiary system and consolidating its presence on the streets and in other regions of the country[1].
Influence[editar | editar código-fonte]
Starting in 2010, the PCC began expanding to other South American countries such as Paraguay, Bolivia, and Colombia. The faction started controlling drug and arms trafficking routes, establishing alliances with local groups and interfering in the dynamics of international organized crime. Its operations at the Brazil-Paraguay border, for example, intensified with efforts to secure control over drug trafficking routes.
In addition to its operations in South America, the PCC expanded its activities to other continents, including Africa and Europe. In 2016, the faction took control of routes in Paraguay and the Brazilian borders, changing the trafficking dynamics in the region. This was marked by the death of the smuggler Jorge Rafaat, which consolidated the faction as a power in international drug trafficking.
The decentralization of operations, which began in 2002, made the PCC a resilient organization capable of continuing its criminal activities without relying on centralized leadership. The faction began operating through independent cells, with local "tunings," maintaining control over different regions and criminal activities.
The PCC has been a central force in discussions about public security in Brazil. Its impact goes beyond the prison system, with a strong presence on the streets and influence in drug trafficking. Additionally, the group directly affects public security policies and interacts with political issues at the state and federal levels[1].
Relevance Today[editar | editar código-fonte]
The PCC is one of the main criminal organizations controlling drug trafficking in Brazil and South America. Its operations in Paraguay, Bolivia, and other countries have a direct impact on international drug routes. The group has an active presence in the trafficking of cocaine from Bolivia, using Paraguay as a transshipment point to Brazil, and later to Europe and the United States.
Furthermore, the faction has a historical rivalry with Comando Vermelho (CV), another major Brazilian criminal group. In 2016, the death of Jorge Rafaat, a prominent smuggler, symbolized the intensification of the conflict between the PCC and other factions. The group has also been involved in violent disputes with local factions in other countries, such as the Rotela clan in Paraguay, demonstrating its expansion and influence in drug trafficking.
The PCC is already considered a transnational criminal organization, with operations not only in Brazil but also in at least 16 countries around the world. Its presence in places like Africa, Central America, and Europe highlights the growing globalization of organized crime led by the faction.
The group has a significant impact on public security in South America. The faction not only influences drug trafficking but also the geopolitical dynamics of the region, with its operations involving other states, such as Bolivia, which needs to route its drugs to Brazil and other international markets[1].
Documentary[editar | editar código-fonte]
In 2022, HBO Max released a documentary series about the PCC. The series was created by Gustavo Mello and produced by Warner Bros, based on an adaptation of the book Irmãos: uma história do PCC by Gabriel Feltran. The trailer for the series is available below:
External links[editar | editar código-fonte]
A guerra: a ascensão do PCC e o mundo do crime no Brasil
See also[editar | editar código-fonte]
- Comando Vermelho
- Milícia
- Referências bibliográficas sobre grupos armados
- Dinâmicas de poder e os grupos armados no Brasil
Notas e referências
- ↑ Ir para: 1,0 1,1 1,2 FIGUEIREDO, Vinicius Pereira de. 30 anos do Primeiro Comando da Capital: Marcos Históricos e Expansão. Observatório de Segurança Pública, 29 ago 2023.
