Douglas Ruas Backs U.S. Strikes on Suspected Trafficking Vessels and Terror Label for Criminal Factions

Overview

• On Friday, June 26, 2026, Douglas Ruas told the BBC that he supports U.S. military strikes in international waters against vessels suspected of carrying drugs or weapons and favors designating Comando Vermelho and PCC as terrorist organizations.
• Ruas is president of the Rio de Janeiro legislature and accepted an invitation from senator Flávio Bolsonaro to be the PL pre-candidate for governor, a move he promoted in a public video.
• He has publicly rejected the idea that his campaign would continue the policies of former governor Cláudio Castro and is distancing himself from Castro after Federal Police investigations into Rioprevidência investments linked to Banco Master.
• The Rioprevidência probe alleges roughly R$970 million in financial letters and about R$2.01 billion in fund applications tied to Banco Master, a scandal that has weakened Castro’s standing and created political risk for allies.
• Ruas’s hardline security pitch comes as polls place him well behind front-runner Eduardo Paes and as critics warn that foreign strikes without Brazilian authorization would raise legal, sovereignty, and public-opinion conflicts.