US Labels Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles a Foreign Terror Group

The United States on Monday formally designated Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), a move seen as one of Washington’s most forceful actions against Venezuela’s alleged state‑linked criminal networks. The announcement, published on the U.S. Treasury Department’s website, reflects growing American pressure on the Venezuelan leadership and its reported ties to narcotics trafficking.

Just a week earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly accused the group of fueling global terrorist violence—an unusually sharp statement that hinted at the designation now in effect.

A Signal of Tougher U.S. Policy Toward Venezuela

The decision indicates that Washington may pursue even more aggressive measures against President Nicolás Maduro’s government. Former President Donald Trump repeatedly stated that military action toward Venezuela was among his options, though he also kept the possibility of diplomatic talks open.

In recent months, the U.S. has already expanded its military presence across the Caribbean and has carried out strikes on vessels allegedly linked to drug‑smuggling operations. Officials claim more than 80 deaths resulted from these operations, although the U.S. has publicly released limited evidence to support these accusations.

What Is Cartel de los Soles?

The term Cartel de los Soles (“Cartel of the Suns”) emerged in the 1990s. Initially, it referred to senior members of the Venezuelan armed forces who were suspected of enriching themselves through cocaine trafficking. The name comes from the sun‑shaped insignia worn by high‑ranking officers.

Over time—particularly under Hugo Chávez and later under Maduro—the term expanded to describe a larger network of military commanders, intelligence officials, police officers, and political elites accused of participating in drug trafficking, illegal mining, fuel smuggling, and other illicit activities.

In 2020, the U.S. Justice Department described the network as a “Maduro‑led narco‑terrorism enterprise” and filed indictments against Maduro and several of his close allies.

A Shift in the U.S. Terror List Strategy

Traditionally, America’s FTO list has included global extremist organizations like ISIS and al‑Qaeda. But this year, Washington shifted its strategy by adding eight Latin American criminal networks to the same list. The inclusion of Cartel de los Soles marks the latest—and one of the most symbolic—steps in this broader policy shift.

It signals that the U.S. now views state‑supported criminal networks as potential global terror threats, not just militant or ideological groups.

Venezuela Rejects the Allegations

The Maduro government responded sharply. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil dismissed the American claims as an “absurd fabrication.” Writing on Telegram, he accused the U.S. of inventing a nonexistent cartel and using the allegations as part of a long‑running campaign to destabilize Venezuela.

He insisted that previous U.S. attempts to undermine the Venezuelan government had failed and predicted that this latest move would meet the same fate.