Esther Imonmion
The United States will formally designate Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) on 24 November, the State Department announced on Sunday. Washington alleges the Cartel de los Soles is led by President Nicolás Maduro, a claim he strongly rejects, but the move marks the Trump administration’s most aggressive step yet against the group.
In a statement on Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the FTO designation would allow the US to act more forcefully against the Cartel de los Soles, making it illegal to knowingly support the group and granting broader powers to target its alleged associates. While the US Treasury Department previously sanctioned individuals it linked to the Cartel de los Soles, this new designation is a much sharper tool.
The Cartel de los Soles is a term used by Washington to describe an alleged criminal organisation involved in drug trafficking and illegal mining. The US claims the Cartel de los Soles includes senior Venezuelan military officers and figures close to Maduro. No public evidence has been presented to prove Maduro’s direct involvement, but portraying him as head of the Cartel de los Soles strengthens Washington’s justification for possible military action.
Speculation continues over whether the US might escalate operations by striking targets inside Venezuela, citing threats posed by the Cartel de los Soles. In October, Maduro accused Washington of “fabricating a new war” after the US deployed the USS Gerald Ford to the Caribbean. President Donald Trump said on Sunday night that he has “sort of” made up his mind on next steps and had asked Rubio to consult Congress.
Maduro, who returned to office in January after disputed elections, has repeatedly denied the existence of the Cartel de los Soles as described by Washington. In August, the US raised its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, alleging he was a leading figure in the Cartel de los Soles’ drug-trafficking operations.
The US has blamed the Cartel de los Soles for enabling regional drug flows, though fentanyl entering the US is largely produced in Mexico with chemicals sourced from Asia. Cocaine production remains centred in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia, though Venezuela is used as a transit route. Since September, the US military has carried out at least 21 strikes on suspected drug-running vessels linked to the Cartel de los Soles off the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia, killing at least 83 people.
As Washington prepares for the 24 November designation, the Trump administration insists the Cartel de los Soles poses a direct threat to regional security. Critics argue the US is overstating the cartel’s structure and reach, but for now, the Trump administration is advancing its strategy—and the Cartel de los Soles remains at the centre of its campaign against Maduro.