Brazilian officials are considering designating "Hezbollah" as a terrorist organization, following Argentina and Paraguay, Bloomberg reported on Monday.
It said the idea is part of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s efforts to forge stronger ties with US President Donald Trump, with whom he also seeks a trade deal. It also fits into the world-view of Brazil’s right-wing president and his inner circle.
If it approves the decision, Brazil would follow the footsteps of Argentina, which last month officially designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and ordered the freezing of its assets in the country.
According to the Bloomberg report, officials are reviewing their options to move forward with the idea, which is being discussed at the highest government levels but does not have across-the-board support, according to three people with direct knowledge of the matter.
It said the idea would not be easily implemented due to the particularities of Brazilian law, added the officials, requesting anonymity because the discussion isn’t public.
The move could strain relations with Iran, a Hezbollah ally which imports $2.5 billion of Brazilian products per year and displeases Brazil’s influential Lebanese community. The government also worries it could make the country a target of terrorism, said one of the sources.
Other sources predicted that the decision could be announced before Bolsonaro visits the region in October.
Contacted by Bloomberg, Brazil’s foreign ministry said it doesn’t consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization and has no plans to change its status for now. The president’s office, the justice ministry and the federal police, responsible for enforcement of anti-terror laws, declined to comment.
During last year’s presidential campaign, Bolsonaro’s son Eduardo, who may become the Brazilian ambassador to the US, already advocated a strong stance against Hezbollah, and Hamas noted Bloomberg.
