U.S. Moves to Label ‘Cartel de los Soles’ a Terror Group Tied to Maduro

The Trump administration is preparing to slap a foreign terrorist organization label on a loose network of Venezuelan power players allegedly tied to drug trafficking,  even though it’s not a cartel in the traditional sense.

Here’s what went down

Read this especially if you follow U.S.–Venezuela tensions, narcotrafficking policy, or the expanding use of terror designations.

What Just Happened

The U.S. plans to designate Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, alleging ties to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and senior officials.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio accuses the network of carrying out “terrorist violence” in the Western Hemisphere as part of a broader campaign against drug routes and smugglers.

Caracas dismissed the move as a “ridiculous fabrication” designed to justify an “illegitimate and illegal intervention.”

What Is the ‘Cartel de los Soles’?

The term emerged in the 1990s as slang for Venezuelan military officers enriched through drug trafficking.

Over time, it expanded to cover police, government officials, and corrupt networks involved in illegal mining, fuel smuggling, and narcotics.

The “suns” refer to the insignia on officers’ epaulettes.

Analysts stress it’s not a cartel in the classic sense: no formal membership, no regular meetings, no clear hierarchy.

In 2020, the U.S. Justice Department elevated it into a Maduro-linked narcotrafficking conspiracy in a sweeping indictment.

How the Terror Label Changes Things

A foreign terrorist designation gives the U.S. new legal tools, harsher penalties, and broader sanctions, making material support to the network a serious federal offense for financiers and enablers.

While critics note limited public evidence linking specific operations to the group, the label significantly heightens international isolation and legal risk for Maduro’s inner circle.

The Bigger Venezuela Strategy

The U.S. has increased its military presence in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, targeting drug-trafficking boats and killing dozens, while Trump has not ruled out broader action against Venezuela.

Maduro’s government calls the U.S. claims a pretext for regime change, even as officials see his grip on power as weak and the Justice Department doubles the reward for his arrest to $50 million.

The Bottom Line

Labeling Cartel de los Soles a terror organization blurs the line between counterdrug policy and regime-change strategy.

Whether it chokes off narcotrafficking or simply deepens confrontation, it marks a major escalation,  and puts Maduro’s government in even sharper Washington crosshairs.