U.S. formally Designates Venezuelan Military-Linked Cartel as Terrorist Organization
WASHINGTON – The U.S. government has officially designated the โฃCartel de los Solesโ – a criminal organization with deep ties to the Venezuelan military – as a terrorist organization, granting newโค authorities to targetโ its membersโข adn disrupt its โoperations. The move, announced recently, comes as the U.S. increases pressure on the Maduro regime and amid a heightened military presence in the Caribbean Sea.
The formal designation โprovides the United States with a โคbroader range of โคtools to address alleged crimes committed by โฃthe โcartel and those connected to Venezuelan President Nicolรกs Maduro. This includes potential sanctions, asset freezes, and expanded law enforcement cooperation. The action reflects growing U.S. concern over the cartel’s involvement in drug trafficking,violence,and its alleged support of theโ Maduro government,which Washington doesโค not recognize.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated the designation will give theโฃ U.S. “a whole bunch ofโข new options”โข to address Maduro’s alleged crimes,though he declinedโฃ to detail specific plans. “Nothing is off the table, but nothing’s automatically on the table,” โคhe said in an interview with OAN.
The designation coincides with a notable deployment โฃof U.S.military assetsโข to the Caribbean, including the USSโ Gerald R. Ford, the world’s most advanced aircraftโข carrier. This buildup began earlier this year and has fueled speculation about potential U.S. intervention in Venezuela, officially framed by the trump administrationโ as a counterdrug operation.
During a recent interview with CBS News’โ Norah O’Donnell,President Trump โindicated that theโข situation in Venezuela โฃwas “about many things,” and โฃsuggested Maduro’s time in office was nearing itsโ end. The U.S.-backed Venezuelan political opposition has also grown more vocal in its calls for Maduro’s removal.
The Cartel deโข los Soles, meaning “Cartel of the Suns,” โขis comprised ofโ high-ranking Venezuelan military officialsโค who allegedly control significant portions of the country’s drug trade. โคThe group is accused of facilitatingโ the shipment of cocaine and other illicit substances to the United States and other countries, โคusing its influence within the military to protect its operations. The U.S. โขgovernment has previously indicted numerousโฃ Venezuelan officials with tiesโข to the cartel on drug trafficking and corruptionโ charges.
