U.S. Labels "Cartel of the Suns" a Terrorist Group, Intensifies Military Pressure on Maduro

The U.S. Department of State declared on November 16 its plan to designate the "Cartel of the Suns" as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), effective from Monday, November 24, 2025.

According to a statement signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the organization is led by Nicolás Maduro and senior figures of the Chavista regime, who are accused of transforming Venezuela’s state structures—from the military to the judiciary—into tools of drug trafficking and corruption.

"The Cartel of the Suns, alongside other foreign terrorist organizations like the Tren de Aragua and the Cartel of Sinaloa, is accountable for terrorist violence across our hemisphere and the drug trade to the United States and Europe," the official statement noted.

Heightened Diplomatic and Military Actions

This action represents a fresh step in Washington's diplomatic, judicial, and military campaign against Chavismo, amid significant regional tensions. The U.S. is executing a substantial military deployment in the Caribbean, including warships and amphibious operations, as part of its anti-narcotics strategy and "containment" approach towards the governments of Caracas and Havana.

Immediate Impact of the New Designation

Experts pointed out that the Cartel of the Suns was previously classified under the Treasury Department’s SDGT (Specially Designated Global Terrorists) category, focusing on financial sanctions.

The new FTO designation, however, fundamentally alters this status by officially identifying the Cartel as a direct threat to U.S. national security.

This designation significantly broadens the legal framework for the United States to undertake direct operations, actions, and measures against the organization and its members once the measure takes effect.

From that point onward, any engagement with Maduro’s regime will be legally equivalent to interacting with a terrorist organization, with all the accompanying legal and political implications.

This implies that companies, governments, or intermediaries maintaining ties with Chavista regime officials—such as in financial, commercial, or diplomatic operations—could face sanctions under U.S. anti-terrorism laws.

Increasing Regional Pressure and Risks

The decision is part of a growing U.S. military mobilization in the Caribbean and the South Atlantic, including landing exercises and naval interdiction operations targeting drug trafficking.

Washington views Venezuela as a major cocaine corridor to North America and Europe, in collaboration with organized crime networks.

Defense sources cited by U.S. media indicate that the Pentagon is considering expanding its presence in strategic areas of the eastern Caribbean and strengthening cooperation with Colombia and English-speaking Caribbean nations to block routes of the Cartel of the Suns and the Tren de Aragua.

In response, Maduro’s regime has heightened military maneuvers on Venezuela’s northern coast and La Orchila Island, receiving logistical support from Russia and Iran.

Political Repercussions

Analysts agree that this designation complicates any attempt at negotiation or lifting sanctions, placing Caracas in a similar status to countries or entities labeled as hostile terrorists.

Practically speaking, Washington severs any possibility of direct dialogue with Maduro and opens the door to more aggressive intelligence and military cooperation operations in the region.

As expressed by a U.S. official quoted by Reuters, the measure aims to "cut off the head of state-sponsored drug trafficking and send a clear message to its allies, especially Cuba and Nicaragua."