US to designate Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as terrorists

The Cartel de los Soles, a group the United States accuses of being led by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, will be designated as a terrorist organization, the U.S. State Department announced.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement on Sunday announcing that the United States intends to consider the group a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) starting November 24.

This means Maduro will also be designated as a terrorist, as the United States claims he leads the Cartel de los Soles, a charge Maduro strongly denies.

It is the latest effort by the Trump administration to reduce drug trafficking and put pressure on Maduro, as the United States weighs whether to take military action inside the country.

An FTO designation allows the U.S. government to more aggressively crack down on the group and its alleged associates, by making it illegal to knowingly offer them support.

The U.S. Treasury Department has already imposed sanctions on the Cartel de los Soles, but the new FTO designation is a strengthened approach that unlocks stronger powers.

The Cartel de los Soles is a term used by the United States to describe an alleged criminal group involved in activities such as drug trafficking and illegal mining.

Washington claims that it is led by the Venezuelan president and includes members of his entourage, particularly the military. The United States has not publicly released evidence of Maduro’s direct involvement in drug trafficking.

But the characterization of Maduro as a drug trafficker is seen as a way for the United States to potentially justify personally targeting him or those close to him as part of its military campaign against alleged drug trafficking.

Speculation is growing about whether the United States could strike land targets inside Venezuela as part of efforts to pressure Maduro.

In October, Maduro accused the United States of “manufacturing a new war” after ordering the USS Gerald Ford to the Caribbean.

US President Donald Trump said he has “kind of” made up his mind about what to do, but has not yet announced his decision.

He told reporters Sunday evening that he had asked Rubio to discuss the situation with Congress.

He added that “we could have discussions” with Maduro and that “Venezuela wants to talk”, but did not provide further details on when the talks could take place.

The Trump administration has taken an aggressive approach toward Maduro, who returned to power in January following allegations of election fraud.

“Neither Maduro nor his acolytes represent the legitimate government of Venezuela,” Rubio said in his statement.

In August, the U.S. government increased the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, accusing him of being a top “drug trafficker.”

The United States has also criticized Venezuela for failing to combat cartel activities, which Trump says are responsible for the flow of fentanyl into the United States.

There is no evidence to suggest fentanyl comes from Venezuela, as it is primarily produced in Mexico with chemicals largely sourced from Asia.

The Venezuelan government acknowledges that some cocaine trafficking occurs in the country, but there are much larger trafficking centers in the region. Cocaine is mainly produced in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.

Since September, the United States has carried out a series of airstrikes against boats off the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia.

The United States sent the largest military deployment to the Caribbean in decades and carried out at least 21 strikes against suspected drug-trafficking ships, killing at least 83 people.

The administration has already designated cartels in other countries as terrorist groups.