Crime and Politics in Brazil

Organized crime groups in Rio de Janeiro and other major Brazilian cities have become increasingly involved in politics in recent years. But now Brazilian gangs with known ties to Colombian militants and corrupt military officers in Paraguay and Argentina also are adopting a populist political rhetoric to justify their criminal activities. If the gangs take the next logical step — to link politically with Brazil's Landless Movement — within a couple of years, President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva's government might be facing a security nightmare that could destabilize Brazil politically and undermine its economic growth.