Brazil has enacted a severe new law targeting violent criminal organizations like militias and paramilitary groups. The legislation, dated March 27, 2026, imposes prison sentences of 20 to 40 years for crimes involving violence or intimidation and allows the government to seize assets linked to these activities, including property and money held abroad. The law aims to dismantle groups by punishing leaders, criminalizing planning acts, and removing their financial resources.
Brazil has passed a new law to combat violent criminal organizations that use threats or violence to control communities. The law specifies punishments for acts disrupting public safety or government operations.
Members of these groups now face 20 to 40 years in prison for acts involving violence, firearms, or explosives to intimidate people or attack public services. Obstructing police operations or disrupting essential services like schools and hospitals is also punishable.
Leaders, organizers, and those who fund or plan these crimes face even harsher penalties. Preparatory acts, like planning the attack or spreading threats to citizens, have also been regarded as criminal activities according to the new law.
Homicides linked to these groups will be tried in special courts, with suspects in leadership roles held in maximum-security federal prisons. The law allows authorities to form confidential task forces to coordinate investigations and share intelligence.
These investigations must follow strict deadlines of 90 days for suspects in custody and 270 days for those at liberty. Judges and prosecutors must respond quickly, especially in urgent cases, ensuring that deadlines are met without automatically granting freedom to the accused.
A key provision allows the government to seize assets linked to these crimes, including property, money, or rights acquired through illegal activity. This civil forfeiture applies even if assets are abroad or transferred to third parties.
The law aims to prevent criminals from profiting from their actions by removing their financial resources. It strengthens Brazil’s enforcement framework by targeting the economic foundations of violent groups.
