In a significant move on Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles, a criminal group under the nominal leadership of dictator Nicolás Maduro, will be classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).

The State Department has confirmed that this designation will be officially implemented on November 24.

This raises the question: why did Secretary Rubio choose this specific time to make such a crucial announcement, and why was it coordinated with an official State Department bulletin release?

It’s worth noting that the U.S. has been strategically positioning forces in the southern Caribbean and upgrading military installations in Puerto Rico. The strategic alignment seemingly reached its climax with the deployment of Carrier Strike Group 12, spearheaded by the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, into the operational zone. This development is part of ‘Operation Southern Spear,’ which was recently announced by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth as the carrier strike group entered the Caribbean, according to RedState.

Key Points of Interest

An announcement by the State Department states that the designation will take effect on November 24.

The Department of State intends to designate Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), effective November 24, 2025. Based in Venezuela, the Cartel de los Soles is headed by Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking individuals of the illegitimate Maduro regime who have corrupted Venezuela’s military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary. Neither Maduro nor his cronies represent Venezuela’s legitimate government. Cartel de los Soles by and with other designated FTOs including Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel are responsible for terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe.

So, why did Secretary of State Marco Rubio make this announcement at 5:38 p.m. on a Sunday? And why was it important enough that State posted the official bulletin around the same time?

As we all know, the U.S. has been amassing forces in the southern Caribbean and refurbishing military bases in Puerto Rico. In terms of military action, the last piece of the puzzle fell into place with the arrival of Carrier Strike Group 12, led by the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, in the area of operations; see SecWar Pete Hegseth Announces ‘Operation Southern Spear’ As US Carrier Strike Group Enters the Caribbean – RedState.

Items of Interest

1. As my colleague, Susie Moore, has posted on President Trump’s confirmation that talks are ongoing with Maduro; see Trump Sparks Buzz: Talks With Maduro ‘May Be Coming’ – RedState.

.@POTUS on Venezuela: “We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out — but they would like to talk.” pic.twitter.com/ooeKngFUch

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 16, 2025

Curiously, that comment was only one hour after Rubio’s announcement.

2. Maduro obviously doesn’t want to fight, but it is unclear whether he is truly in charge. 

3. In retrospect, it is curious that even though the State Department has labeled virtually all Mexican cartels, as well as the Salvadoran-based MS-13, as FTOs, the Cartel of the Sun has been ignored until now, despite our campaign of destroying their drug boats.

4. Cartel of the Sun is primarily a military operation. It predates both Maduro and Hugo Chavez. It is closely linked with guerrillas and drug cartels in Colombia.

5. Nobel Prize Laureate and Venezuelan freedom activist María Corina Machado began broadcasting appeals to the Venezuelan armed forces to lay down their arms on Saturday.

María Corina Machado’s Urgent Call to the Venezuelan Military:

“What is going to happen is already happening. That decisive hour is imminent. Act now, at this very moment. Lower your weapons, do not attack your people, make the decision today to stand with Venezuela’s freedom… pic.twitter.com/q9MpmG7gVF

— Cartel Watch (@CartelWatchNet) November 16, 2025

“What is going to happen is already happening. That decisive hour is imminent. Act now, at this very moment. Lower your weapons, do not attack your people, make the decision today to stand with Venezuela’s freedom when the precise hour arrives. 

The worst hostages are those who are forced to carry out this barbarity. Those who obey infamous orders, ruining the lives of their own brothers. They feel guilty. They cannot look their children or their mothers in the eyes. 

The position each one of you takes will mark your life forever. History, the law and the Venezuelan people will be your judges!”

Pure Conjecture

As I’ve posted many times, amassing military forces has its own logic. If the other side doesn’t accede to your demands, you either use it or you slink away, leaving an emboldened enemy behind. What you can’t do is sustain that force indefinitely. I think the last element of a force that could remove Maduro arrived with CSG 12. Maduro is in a tough spot. According to reports, he wants out, but the sticking point is that the notional replacement government would be led by Machado, and the military is adamant that she is unacceptable. Without a change of government, Trump has no incentive to give Maduro the plane ticket and freedom for prosecution that he desires. 

Saturday, Machado begins broadcasts to the Venezuelan military asking them to put down their weapons when “the precise hour arrives.” That hour, she says, is imminent. 

Sunday, Rubio declares the Cartel of the Sun to be an FTO. This effectively criminalizes the entire upper ranks of the Venezuelan military. Suddenly, they are looking at long prison terms in very unpleasant places, if the U.S. invades and the military lays down its arms. Spoiler Alert: Some units of the Venezuelan Army will fight, but most will disappear. The one-week grace period gives the military officers the ability to negotiate surrender and not be treated as a drug cartel.

Trump coming out to say, “We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out — but they would like to talk,” is interesting. He did it only an hour after Rubio had announced that in a week, the Cartel of the Sun would be an FTO. He also says, “They would like to talk.” That could lead one to believe that he is talking to the Venezuelan Army about a peaceful transfer of power to Machado, who says, “decisive hour is imminent.” In procurement parlance, they’ve received his “best and final offer.”

Final Minutes?

No matter the accuracy of my conjecture, I think the November 24 deadline gives us a date to focus on. If by that date a decision has not been made by Maduro to catch the first thing smoking out of Caracas, his turkey is going to be cooked.

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