ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACTS OF NARCOTERRORISM ON BRAZIL’S NATIONAL DEFENSE AND PUBLIC SECURITY IN THE CURRENT GEOPOLITICAL CONTEXT

Abstract

Narcoterrorism, a phenomenon that combines drug-trafficking practices with tactics of extreme violence and territorial control typical of terrorism, constitutes one of the principal hybrid threats to Brazil’s sovereignty and security in the contemporary geopolitical context. Political and economic instability in South American countries, particularly in border regions, facilitates the activities of armed groups that cooperate or coordinate with Brazilian criminal organizations, thereby increasing vulnerabilities along transnational trafficking routes. Globalization and the use of emerging technologies—drones, encryption, and artificial intelligence—strengthen these illicit networks and challenge the state’s response capacity. The impacts on National Defense include increased pressure on the Armed Forces to conduct border surveillance and control, requiring complex and legally sensitive operations, such as Law and Order Guarantee operations (Garantia da Lei e da Ordem—GLO). In Public Security, criminal organizations expand their capacity for institutional corruption, urban violence, and social control, overburdening the criminal justice system. An integrated analysis reveals that the hybrid nature of narcoterrorism renders fragmented responses ineffective: the boundary between National Defense and Public Security is becoming increasingly blurred. The study concludes that effective countermeasures require an Integrated National Strategy combining technology, intelligence sharing, international cooperation, financial disruption, and preventive social policies. Only a multidimensional, sustained, and cooperative approach can mitigate the threat and protect Brazilian territory and citizens.