Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin said on Tuesday that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will raise an agreement to combat organized crime in discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled for later this week.
Speaking to GloboNews, Alckmin said the two governments can carry out "important work in combating transnational organized crime," and noted that Lula has already raised the proposed agreement with Trump and intends to bring it up again at their upcoming meeting.
The leaders are expected to meet on Thursday, Alckmin said, after a previously planned Washington visit by the Brazilian president did not take place. The vice president did not provide additional details about the agenda beyond the anti-crime cooperation.
In April, Brazil and the United States announced a joint initiative aimed at strengthening efforts against organized crime. The plan involves integrating data from Brazil's federal tax authority with systems operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). According to the announcement, the effort is intended to improve intelligence coordination so authorities can better intercept illicit shipments of weapons and narcotics.
The initiative comes as public security remains a salient issue in Brazil, the largest economy in Latin America. The subject is particularly prominent as President Lula prepares to seek a new term in the general election scheduled for October.
Context and implications
The public description of the agreement emphasizes data integration between Brazilian tax authorities and CBP to support joint intelligence work. Officials have framed this cooperation as a tool to detect and intercept illegal flows of arms and drugs. The timing of the planned discussions aligns with Lula's emphasis on public security as he pursues re-election.
No further operational specifics or timelines for implementation were provided in the statements reported by Alckmin.