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Nicolás Maduro made appearances at two public events on Monday, steering clear of discussing recent developments. Instead, he emphasized Venezuela’s resilience and assured that the nation would continue to prevail.
“No matter what they attempt, where they do it, or how they go about it, they won’t be able to defeat Venezuela. We are invincible,” Maduro declared during his regular television broadcast.
The term “Cartel of the Suns” emerged in the 1990s in Venezuela, originally describing high-level officials profiting from drug trafficking. Over time, its use extended to encompass police and other illicit activities as corruption became more rampant.
Will Freeman, an expert in Latin American studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, commented on the situation, suggesting that it’s “very likely” Maduro is at least aware of military involvement with cocaine traffickers.
“However, does that imply he is orchestrating its operations and managing drug routes? We’ve never had public evidence to confirm that,” Freeman explained.
“But does that mean he is directing its movements and coordinating the drug flows? We have never had the information publicly to say,” he said.
Terror designation follows months of strikes
Trump has been posting vision of alleged drug boats being destroyed by the US military. Source: Truth Social / Donald Trump
Sanctions experts, however, have said the statute for the designation does not authorise such a move.
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said the designation would bring “a whole bunch of new options to the United States,” in excerpts released on Thursday from an interview with One America News.
