Luis Alves da Cruz awoke in the middle of the night. He heard the sounds of loud activity in the Paraguayan prison where he lived. Later, he told police that he saw a group of other prisoners wearing all black clothing. “We’re breaking out,” one of them told him. “Are you coming?” Da Cruz is 30 years old and a native of Brazil. He is in prison for smuggling illegal drugs. Within minutes, he was among 75 prisoners who fled the prison in the early hours of January 19. It was one of the most shocking escapes in Paraguay’s history. The fleeing prisoners were members of the First Capital Command. The group is also known as the PCC. PCC is Brazil’s largest and most powerful criminal organization. The escape demonstrates the organization’s growing influence in Paraguay.