BRASILIA, Brazil (AFP)—Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday launched a new plan to combat organised crime as he faces mounting pressure over security, five months ahead of elections.

Brazil’s battle with powerful criminal factions has been a point of tension with Washington, and was high on the agenda of a meeting between Lula and US President Donald Trump last week.

“Today’s event serves as a signal to organised crime, telling them that very soon, they will no longer be the masters of any territory,” Lula said in Brasilia.