Washington labels Cartel de los Soles a terrorist group, escalating pressure on Maduro as Venezuela rejects the move and warns of threats to national sovereignty.
United States has formally designated Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, intensifying Washington’s pressure campaign on President Nicolás Maduro’s government and deepening diplomatic friction between the two countries. Venezuela swiftly condemned the announcement, calling the cartel “non-existent” and the designation a pretext for foreign interference.
The decision, confirmed on Monday November 24, 2025, adds the most severe U.S. terrorism designation to a network Washington accuses of facilitating large-scale drug shipments into the United States. U.S. officials say the organization involves senior Venezuelan military and political figures, allegations Caracas has long dismissed as politically motivated.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled earlier this month that the group would receive the terrorism label, arguing that its activities pose a growing threat to U.S. security. The move follows a series of U.S. military operations targeting suspected narcotics vessels in waters off Venezuela and along the Pacific coast of Latin America.
Venezuela’s government rejected the designation in strong terms. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said the measure “revives an infamous and vile lie” aimed at justifying an “illegitimate and illegal intervention” under the guise of counterterrorism. Oil Minister Delcy Rodríguez echoed the criticism, accusing Washington of attempting to seize Venezuela’s extensive natural resources.
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President Donald Trump has increased military deployments in the southern Caribbean in recent months, prompting speculation that the new designation could be used to legitimize possible military action. Sanctions specialists, however, say the foreign terrorist organization label does not create legal grounds for such operations.
The U.S. already imposed sanctions on Cartel de los Soles in July, naming it a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity—a move that froze assets and barred Americans from dealings linked to the group. Its name refers to insignia worn by senior Venezuelan military officers.
Analysts say Washington’s portrayal of the network remains contested. InSight Crime, a research foundation, argues the cartel is better understood as a decentralized system of corruption enabling select officials to profit from drug trafficking rather than a unified operation personally directed by Maduro.
The new designation triggered movement in financial markets, with Venezuela’s defaulted dollar bonds climbing by as much as one cent on the dollar. Investors appear to view rising pressure from Washington as a catalyst for potential future negotiations.
Questions also continue over the legality of U.S. maritime strikes against suspected traffickers. A recent Reuters poll found only 29% of Americans support using military force to kill suspected smugglers without judicial oversight.
U.S. officials say the latest designation expands criminal liability for anyone providing material support to the group, underscoring Washington’s intent to isolate the network internationally.