Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (C), Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Hugo Motta (L) and Minister of Justice Wellington Lima participate at the launch in Brasilia of the Brazil Against Organized Crime program, an initiative that will mobilize some $2.2 billion to dismantle the economic and operational structures of criminal organization. Photo by Andre Borges/EPA
May 13 (UPI) -- Brazil's government launched a national public security program called "Brazil Against Organized Crime," aimed at curbing the expansion of criminal groups such as the Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho through coordinated action between state governments and federal authorities.
During the launch of the initiative, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reaffirmed Tuesday his intention to elevate public security management to the highest administrative level, according to Agência Brasil.
Lula confirmed he will create an independent Ministry of Public Security once the Senate approves a constitutional amendment currently under debate in Congress.
The reform seeks to grant the federal government constitutional authority to coordinate security policies nationwide, a procedure that currently falls primarily to Brazil's state governments.
