Brazil’s Lula launches $2 billion anti-organized crime project ahead of elections

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s government Tuesday launched an anti-organized crime program seen by some politicians as an attempt by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to beef up his public security credentials ahead of October’s elections.

The program allows for 11 billion reais ($2 billion) in spending on public security, an area in which Lula has been a frequent target by political rivals.

The program includes beefing up the fight against arms trafficking; attacking the finances of criminal organizations; raising the quality of homicide investigations and investing in the country’s prison system. About 1 billion Brazilian reais ($190 million) of the initiative will be invested until December, Brazil’s government said.

The program allows the purchase of drones, body scanners, metal detectors, cellphone signal blockers, X-ray machines, audio and video systems, radar, DNA tracking equipment and vehicles, among other things. Its main targets are two crime gangs: the First Command of the Capital, or PCC, and the Red Command, known as CV.

Lula, who will bid for his fourth term as president, said during the launch of the program at the presidential palace in Brasilia that he discussed public security issues with U.S. President Donald Trump during his visit to Washington last week.

“I told him we had proposals on financial asphyxiation (of crime gangs), fighting money laundering. Some of the weapons (used in Brazil) come from the United States,” the Brazilian president said. “I told him that, if he wants to be a part of this, there’s space. But he will have to work in agreement with what are decisions of Brazil’s government and Brazil’s police.”

Allies of Brazil’s president in Congress said opposition governors, who are in charge of local police, are reticent about using funds from the initiative launched on Tuesday.

Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro and former Goias state Gov. Ronaldo Caiado have for years campaigned on a tough on crime stance, which also includes criticism of Lula’s Workers’ Party as allegedly too soft on public security.

Lula did not address that criticism during the launch of the program, but Vice President Geraldo Alckmin attacked former President Jair Bolsonaro, who picked his own son as presidential candidate.

“The only security policy in the previous presidency was to distribute weapons, allow weapons,” Alckmin said. “And those end up with criminals, with organized crime. It is police who should be able to bear arms.”

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