Marco Rubio says Nicolás Maduro’s Cartel de los Soles to be designated a terrorist organization
In a significant escalation of U.S. foreign policy toward Venezuela, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Sunday that the Cartel de los Soles, a notorious criminal organization closely linked to the Venezuelan government, will be designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). This designation, set to take effect on November 24, targets a network allegedly led by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and key figures within his regime. The move underscores Washington’s growing frustration with the Maduro administration, which has been accused of widespread corruption and complicity in drug trafficking and violence across the Americas. According to the U.S. State Department, the Cartel de los Soles has corrupted various Venezuelan institutions, including the military and judiciary, and is responsible for facilitating drug trafficking into the United States and Europe in collaboration with other criminal organizations like the Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel.
The implications of this designation are considerable. By formally labeling the Cartel de los Soles as an FTO, the U.S. government gains the authority to target the cartel’s assets and infrastructure, potentially paving the way for military action against Maduro’s regime. Rubio emphasized this point in his statement, asserting that the U.S. will not stand idly by as drug dealers and terrorist organizations threaten national security. Former President Donald Trump echoed this sentiment, indicating that the administration is committed to stopping the flow of drugs from Venezuela and Mexico into the U.S. Trump also hinted at ongoing discussions with Maduro, suggesting that the U.S. may be open to negotiations if they align with its broader objectives of curbing drug trafficking and destabilizing the Maduro regime.
This newly announced action reflects a broader strategy by the U.S. to confront the challenges posed by criminal networks in Latin America, particularly those connected to state actors. The designation of the Cartel de los Soles as an FTO is a continuation of efforts that have included previous sanctions and military operations aimed at curtailing the influence of drug cartels in the region. As tensions rise, the U.S. government appears poised to intensify its operations against these groups, with the potential for significant geopolitical ramifications in Venezuela and beyond. The coming weeks will reveal how this designation will affect U.S.-Venezuela relations and the broader fight against drug trafficking in the hemisphere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg3GqoDOAeA
Secretary of State
Marco Rubio
announced Sunday that the Cartel de los Soles, a powerful criminal network tied to Venezuela’s top leadership, will be labeled as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
The move appears to be an escalation in Washington’s stance toward the Venezuelan government and could lead to military action against the Maduro regime.
In a statement, Rubio confirmed the U.S. will formally designate the cartel as an FTO later this month.
The designation, which is to take effect Nov. 24, targets the criminal network allegedly led by Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro and senior members of his regime.
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According to the
State Department
, “Based in Venezuela, the Cartel de los Soles is headed by Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking individuals of the illegitimate Maduro regime who have corrupted Venezuela’s military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary.”
“Neither Maduro nor his cronies represent Venezuela’s legitimate government,” the statement read.
“The Cartel de los Soles, in coordination with other terrorist organizations including
Tren de Aragua
and the Sinaloa Cartel, is responsible for terrorist violence across our hemisphere and for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe.”
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The announced action is being taken under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which authorizes the State Department to designate foreign entities engaged in terrorist activity.
The designation will become official once it’s published in the Federal Register.
The Cartel de los Soles had previously been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department under Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorism.
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In an accompanying post on X, Rubio said:
.@StateDept intends to designate Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Headed by the illegitimate Nicolás Maduro, the group has
corrupted the institutions of government
in Venezuela and is responsible for terrorist violence conducted by and with other designated FTOs as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe.
The statement came as President Trump reiterated that the U.S. was intent on stopping drug dealers and drugs filtering into the country.
“We’re stopping drug dealers and drugs from coming into our country,” Trump told reporters Sunday night.
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“And I actually told Marco and some of the people our secretary of state is doing a great job, by the way. I said, ‘Go to Congress and let them know we’re not letting drugs come through Mexico. We’re not letting them come through Venezuela,'” he added.
Trump’s comments came just after he said that the government may be having discussions with Venezuela as well as confirming whether the new cartel designation would mean the U.S. government could now target Maduro’s assets or infrastructure.
”
It allows us to do that,” Trump confirmed while mentioning talks with the Venezuelan leader.
“We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out. They would like to talk,’ he said before adding, “We’ll see what happens.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of State for comment.
