| The violence that paralyzed Sao Paulo from May 12 | | | | that the lawyers bring cell phones, two-way radios, |
| until May 19 revealed the raw power of the First | | | | laptops, and other critical tools the P.C.C. needs to |
| Capital Command (P.C.C.), considered one of the most | | | | keep its criminal system running. Reaching beyond its |
| powerful organized criminal factions in Brazil. Prison | | | | current legal team, the P.C.C. supports law students, |
| riots that erupted in nearly 100 prisons led to over 150 | | | | paying full tuition in exchange for services once they |
| murders, destroyed city buses, and terrorized millions | | | | have a law degree. The P.C.C.'s educational funding |
| of citizens, propelling Brazil onto the world stage. Yet a | | | | extends to future politicians and other individuals who |
| more deeply-rooted system run by the P.C.C. reveals | | | | indicate an interest in entering Brazil's political world. |
| how powerful this gang has become.On May 10, just | | | | The group also facilitates the path for students who |
| two days before the riots began, two members of the | | | | want to enter public security. These efforts and more |
| Sao Paulo Department of Investigation of Organized | | | | act as a well-planned insurance policy to ensure the |
| Crime, Godofredo Bittencourt Filho and Ruy Ferraz | | | | continued existence of the P.C.C. through the |
| Fontes, testified before the Brazilian Government | | | | manipulation of Brazil's judicial, political, and security |
| Inquiry Commission on the Traffic of Illegal Weapons | | | | systems.It was the manipulation of Brazil's political |
| about their understanding of the true power of the | | | | system that led to the purchase of the testimony |
| P.C.C. Bittencourt and Ferraz testified that the P.C.C. is | | | | Bittencourt and Ferraz prepared for their audience. For |
| a very serious problem that is only growing. They | | | | some $100, the PCC purchased the testimony from an |
| blamed Sao Paulo authorities for separating and | | | | employee of a company contracted to record and |
| sending to other Brazilian states various leaders of the | | | | transcribe congressional hearings. The material was |
| P.C.C. by pointing out that because of this separation, | | | | allegedly purchased by a P.C.C. lawyer, who delivered |
| the P.C.C. now has a strong presence on a national | | | | the information to the P.C.C. leadership.Also |
| level in Matto Grosso do Sul, Parana, Bahia, Rio | | | | documented in this material was Bittencourt's decision |
| Grande do Sul, and Brasilia.According to Bittencourt | | | | to move on May 12 P.C.C. leaders to more secure |
| and Ferraz, the P.C.C. controls over 140,000 prisoners | | | | prisons to prevent what they had learned would be |
| in the state of Sao Paulo alone. Another 500,000 | | | | widespread prison rioting on May 14. The P.C.C. once |
| individuals support the organization outside the prison | | | | again proved their superior intelligence networks when |
| system. This group helps enforce some 100 cases of | | | | they began the riots two days early, leading to a week |
| extortion organized by the P.C.C. on a daily basis, | | | | long struggle to bring peace and rule of law back to |
| representing some 70 percent of kidnapping cases in | | | | Sao Paulo.As a criminal enterprise, the P.C.C. took life |
| Brazil's financial capital of Sao Paulo.Apart from a | | | | inside a Sao Paulo prison in 1993 when prisoners |
| proven ability to organize simultaneous, widespread | | | | grouped together to force the improvement of their |
| prison riots and destabilize public security, the | | | | living conditions. Since then, many prisoners, their family |
| organization has constructed a network of informants, | | | | members, and other poor Brazilians idolize the P.C.C. |
| lawyers, blue collar workers, gun and drug dealers, and | | | | as an armed faction of Brazil's extreme left political |
| bankers to do its bidding. This network is held together | | | | flank, working to improve the rights and lives of |
| by a criminal financial system that finances education, | | | | impoverished Brazilians. For this reason, the P.C.C. |
| facilitates crime and engages in killings. Bittencourt was | | | | draws many of its young recruits from the |
| quoted as saying, "to be [associated] with the P.C.C. is | | | | shantytowns surrounding Sao Paulo. Many of the |
| good business."Membership fees are the bread and | | | | people in these communities believe the P.C.C. speaks |
| butter of the P.C.C. For prisoners, a fee of 50 reales | | | | for them when it fights against what they perceive as |
| (US$25) is charged every month. Individuals on the | | | | a deeply corrupt political organization, beleaguered by |
| outside pay a fee of 550 reales ($225). Given these | | | | broken judicial and penitentiary systems that support |
| fees and the high membership numbers both inside | | | | an oppressive security structure. A great irony is many |
| and outside the prison system, it is possible that the | | | | Brazilians believe the P.C.C. fights for them against a |
| P.C.C. organization earns millions of dollars a month | | | | government that they consider the true oppressor. At |
| from fees alone. Criminal finance is another revenue | | | | the same time, the P.C.C. has demonstrated a level of |
| stream. If a group needs $10,000 to mount a bank | | | | power that can only be achieved by taking advantage |
| robbery, they can go to the P.C.C. In this case, the | | | | of the loopholes and cracks in various democratic |
| P.C.C. acts as a black market bank to finance and | | | | institutions that today in Brazil appear to facilitate |
| facilitate criminal activities.To distribute weapons, the | | | | organized crime more than protect and serve Brazilian |
| P.C.C. uses Sedex, a Brazilian courier system known | | | | citizens. What happened in the second week of May |
| for reliability and timely delivery. Weapons as large as | | | | 2006 is a minor showing of the true power the P.C.C. |
| assault rifles have allegedly been delivered by Sedex | | | | holds. It is a level of sophistication and organization that |
| to the waiting hands of criminals.The P.C.C.'s weakest | | | | the international media have not been able to elucidate |
| link is its legal team. Currently 18 lawyers serve the | | | | and that people in Brazil would rather not talk about. |
| P.C.C. leadership, according to Bittencourt. They | | | | Sam Logan ( is an investigative journalist who has |
| oversee dozens of legal cases against P.C.C. | | | | reported on security, energy, politics, economics, |
| members and make regular visits to P.C.C. leaders | | | | organized crime, terrorism, and black markets in Latin |
| imprisoned around the country. Brazilian law protects | | | | America since 1999. He is currently completing his |
| the lawyer-client relationship to extremes. Prison | | | | work on Nice Guys Die First, a forthcoming non-fiction |
| authorities are not allowed to search lawyers when | | | | narrative about organized crime in Brazil. |
| they enter the prison to visit their clients. Many believe | | | | |