CaliToday (17/11/2025): Secretary of State Rubio says move targets cartel's "terrorist violence" and deep corruption; designation on Nov. 24 will unlock sweeping new sanctions.
The Trump administration is taking its most aggressive step yet against the Venezuelan regime, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing Monday that the United States will officially designate the "Cartel de los Soles" (Cartel of the Suns) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
The formal designation is scheduled for November 24. In a move of profound geopolitical significance, Rubio explicitly named the "illegitimate Nicolás Maduro" as the head of the cartel.
This action shifts US policy from sanctioning individuals to branding a core part of the Venezuelan state apparatus as a terrorist group.
In a forceful statement from the State Department, Secretary Rubio, a long-time hawk on the Maduro regime, detailed the justification for the new policy.
"This group has 'corrupted government institutions in Venezuela,'" Rubio stated, arguing the cartel is no longer just a criminal enterprise but a direct threat to regional and international security.
Rubio said the cartel is "responsible for terrorist violence carried out by and together with other designated FTOs, as well as drug trafficking into the United States and Europe.”
This "terrorist violence" designation is a crucial distinction. It alleges that the Cartel de los Soles a term for the network of corrupt officials within the Venezuelan military and government is actively collaborating with other groups already on the US FTO list, such as Colombian guerrillas or militant groups, to conduct attacks and protect smuggling routes.
What the FTO Designation Means
The move is far more than symbolic. Designating the Cartel de los Soles as an FTO is one of the most powerful and severe tools in the US foreign policy arsenal.
Effective November 24, this action will allow the United States to:
Impose Crippling Secondary Sanctions: Any foreign bank, company, or individual found to provide "material support" to the cartel could face severe US sanctions, effectively cutting them off from the US financial system.
Freeze All Assets: It allows the US Treasury to freeze any assets of the cartel and its members found within US jurisdiction.
Utilize Anti-Terrorism Laws: It opens the door for the Department of Justice to pursue criminal terrorism charges against cartel members, including Maduro himself.
Impose Travel Bans: It bars any individual identified as a member of the cartel, along with their immediate family, from entering the United States.
A "Narco-State" Designation
This move effectively codifies the Trump administration's long-held position that Venezuela has devolved into a "narco-state." By placing Maduro a sitting (though unrecognized by the US) head of state at the helm of a designated FTO, Washington is issuing its most direct challenge to date.
The designation will force international actors, particularly in Europe and Latin America, to reassess their dealings with Caracas. Any entity still engaging with the Maduro regime could now be at risk of being accused of providing material support to a terrorist organization, a legal minefield most international corporations will be unwilling to enter.