US President Donald Trump has designated Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles a foreign terrorist organisation amid increasing tensions with the South American country.
The organisation has been accused by US officials of trafficking drugs into the United States and that senior Venezuelan officials, including President Nicolás Maduro, are part of the group.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio last week said the cartel was responsible for “terrorist violence” in the Western Hemisphere and the group would be designated a terror organisation, allowing US law enforcement to take stronger action.
Venezuela’s foreign ministry on Monday rejected what it called “the new and ridiculous lie” which it said aimed “to justify an illegitimate and illegal intervention against Venezuela”.
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.
The name is a reference to the sun insignia worn by Venezuelan generals.
InSight Crime, a foundation that analyses organised crime, said in August that it was an “oversimplification” to say Maduro heads the cartel.
“[It] is more accurately described as a system of corruption wherein military and political officials profit by working with drug traffickers,” it said.
“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
Maduro faces escalating pressure from Trump’s military buildup in the Caribbean, raising concerns that the US may seek to use the designation to justify military action.
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.
For months, the US has waged a campaign of deadly strikes against suspected drug trafficking boats off the Venezuelan coast and the Pacific coast of Latin America.
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.
Maduro alleging US pushing regime change
Maduro and his government have always denied any involvement in crime and have accused the US of seeking regime change out of a desire to control Venezuela’s natural resources, especially its vast oil reserves.
“They want Venezuela’s oil and gas reserves. For nothing, without paying. They want Venezuela’s gold. They want Venezuela’s diamonds, iron, bauxite. They want Venezuela’s natural resources,” oil minister Delcy Rodriguez said in comments on state television.
Trump has said repeatedly he is not pursuing regime change.
