The United States has taken a decisive step by designating Venezuela's Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO). This move marks a significant escalation in Washington's efforts to dismantle criminal networks tied to key figures in Caracas. Effective from November 24, the designation targets what US officials identify as a narco-terrorist structure deeply embedded within the Venezuelan state under President Nicolas Maduro.
According to the State Department, the cartel operates under the guidance of Maduro and prominent members of his government. US evaluations suggest that this network has entrenched itself within Venezuela's military, intelligence, and judicial institutions. Officials assert that the cartel facilitates and safeguards regional criminal activities, thereby expanding its influence throughout Latin America.
Washington alleges that the Cartel de los Soles collaborates with violent entities such as Tren de Aragua and Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel. These partnerships are purported to bolster large-scale drug trafficking operations into the United States and Europe. The Treasury Department characterizes the organisation as providing material support to entities previously designated as foreign terrorist groups.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has endorsed the designation, stating it targets a network responsible for coordinating terrorist activities alongside other sanctioned organisations. This action places Cartel de los Soles among a growing list of Latin American crime groups classified similarly to al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Boko Haram.
This FTO designation coincides with intensified US maritime operations in the Caribbean Sea. Recent Pentagon actions have aimed at vessels reportedly involved in narcotics trafficking along established smuggling routes. Washington contends that the measure will limit the cartel's finances, mobility, and regional influence while enhancing collaboration with partners to combat narco-terrorism across the Western Hemisphere.
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