On Monday, November 24, 2025, the Trump administration will take a dramatic step in its campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by officially designating the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization. This move, previewed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio just a week prior, represents the latest escalation in a series of increasingly forceful actions aimed at combating drug trafficking into the United States and, perhaps more pointedly, at undermining Maduro’s hold on power in Venezuela.
But what exactly is the Cartel de los Soles? Despite its ominous name—Spanish for "Cartel of the Suns"—the group isn’t a cartel in the traditional sense. According to NPR, the term originated in the 1990s as a way for Venezuelans to describe high-ranking military officers who had become wealthy through drug smuggling. Over time, the label expanded to encompass police, government officials, and a range of illegal activities, from mining to fuel trafficking. The "suns" in question refer to the epaulettes worn by senior officers, a symbol of their rank and, increasingly, their alleged corruption.
Yet, as Adam Isaacson, director for defense oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America, explained to NPR, “It is not a group. It’s not like a group that people would ever identify themselves as members. They don’t have regular meetings. They don’t have a hierarchy.” Instead, Cartel de los Soles has become an umbrella term for a shadowy network of officials allegedly tied to drug trafficking and other illicit enterprises.
The U.S. government’s view of the cartel changed dramatically in 2020, when the Justice Department indicted Maduro and his inner circle on narcoterrorism and related charges. The indictment accused Maduro, along with Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, of conspiring with Colombian rebels and military members to "flood the United States with cocaine" and use the drug trade as a "weapon against America." Colombia, the world’s top cocaine producer, has long struggled with trafficking networks that exploit porous borders and political instability. According to NPR, even after Colombia’s 2016 peace deal, dissidents and guerrilla groups like the National Liberation Army continued to use Venezuela as a safe haven for U.S.-bound shipments—often with the tacit or explicit support of Venezuelan security forces.
The Trump administration’s decision to apply the foreign terrorist organization label to Cartel de los Soles is part of a broader trend. Up until early 2025, such designations were reserved for groups like al-Qaida and the Islamic State, whose violence was overtly political. But in February, the administration expanded the list to include eight Latin American criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking and migrant smuggling. The U.S. military has since conducted a series of strikes against boats allegedly linked to these groups, killing more than 80 people in operations extending from the Caribbean Sea to the eastern Pacific Ocean.
These actions, according to the administration, are designed to stem the flow of narcotics into American cities. However, many—including Maduro himself—see them as an effort to end the ruling party’s 26-year grip on power. The military buildup in the Caribbean, which has been ongoing for months, has reignited hopes among Venezuela’s U.S.-backed opposition that Maduro might finally be ousted. Trump, like his predecessor, does not recognize Maduro’s presidency, especially following the 2024 election, which credible evidence suggests was won by the opposition by a margin of more than two to one. Maduro, now in his third term, has faced repeated accusations of human rights violations against both real and perceived opponents, particularly in the aftermath of that disputed vote.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking to OAN last week, hinted that the terrorist designation would give the United States “a whole bunch of new options” for dealing with Maduro. He declined to specify what those options might be or whether the U.S. military planned to strike targets inside Venezuela, saying, “So nothing is off the table, but nothing’s automatically on the table.” Nonetheless, senior administration officials have made it clear that they see Maduro’s continued rule as unsustainable. A source familiar with the administration’s thinking told NPR that Trump has been closely following intelligence reports indicating growing anxiety among Maduro and his top allies as U.S. strikes continue. “Trump is very content and satisfied for the moment with the strikes’ impact,” the official said, adding that pleas from Maduro’s camp to open direct talks with the U.S. have become increasingly frantic, but have so far been rebuffed.
For its part, the U.S. Justice Department has doubled down on its efforts to bring Maduro to justice, raising the reward for information leading to his arrest to $50 million in 2025. The Treasury Department has also ramped up pressure, sanctioning the Cartel de los Soles in July and accusing Maduro and his top allies of using the power of the Venezuelan government, military, and intelligence services to facilitate narcotics trafficking to the United States. U.S. authorities further allege that Maduro’s network has provided material support to both the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa cartel, both of which were designated as foreign terrorist organizations earlier this year.
Maduro, however, has consistently denied all charges, insisting that the United States is fabricating a drug-trafficking narrative as a pretext for regime change. He and other officials frequently cite a United Nations report, which they claim shows that only 5% of Colombia’s cocaine passes through Venezuela. Nonetheless, the U.S. remains steadfast in its position, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio accusing Cartel de los Soles of being “responsible for terrorist violence” throughout the Western Hemisphere.
The situation remains tense and unpredictable. Trump has not ruled out military action, including land strikes or covert CIA operations, even as the possibility of negotiations with Maduro lingers in the background. The administration appears to believe that increasing pressure—whether through sanctions, military action, or diplomatic isolation—will eventually force Maduro from power. Yet, for now, the Venezuelan leader remains defiant, backed by a loyal inner circle and a network of officials who, at least according to the U.S., are deeply entangled in criminal enterprise.
As the world watches, the stakes could hardly be higher. The U.S. designation of the Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization marks a new chapter in the long-running standoff between Washington and Caracas, one that could have profound implications for Venezuela, the region, and the global fight against organized crime.
For many Venezuelans, the outcome remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: the international spotlight on Maduro’s government—and its alleged criminal ties—has never been brighter, nor the consequences of miscalculation more severe.
