WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump has publicly accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of being a major drug trafficker and a threat to the United States, claims that have resurfaced amid heightened tensions between the two countries. While the US government has long alleged connections between Maduro’s regime and illicit drug activities, the extent of his personal involvement and the direct threat to the US remain subjects of debate and investigation.
Recent indictments and testimony from high-ranking defectors are fueling the accusations. Hugo Carvajal, a retired Venezuelan general and former intelligence chief, is set to be sentenced on drug trafficking and terrorism charges on October 29, and his potential cooperation with US authorities could shed light on the alleged involvement of Maduro and other top officials.
The accusations center around a shadowy network within the Venezuelan military known as the “Cartel de los Soles” – or “Cartel of the Suns,” named for the sun insignia worn by Venezuelan generals. According to reports from intelligence website InsightCrime, the cartel is not a hierarchical organization but a ”loose network of cells…that operate as drug trafficking organizations.” The group is alleged to be involved in a wide range of criminal activities, facilitating the movement of narcotics, particularly cocaine, through Venezuela to the US and other international markets.
The Trump administration previously accused Maduro of drug trafficking, but lacked definitive public evidence.Opposition leader María Corina Machado has applauded recent statements against the cartel, while other opposition figures, like former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, have called for the US to “present the evidence.”
Maduro has consistently denied any personal involvement in drug trafficking. however, the 2015 conviction of his wife’s nephews on drug trafficking charges - a case Maduro has rarely addressed – casts a shadow over his denials. Carvajal’s sentencing and potential testimony are expected to provide further clarity on the extent of the alleged cartel’s operations and Maduro’s connection to it.
