What is Cartel de los Soles, the latest group designated ‘terrorist’ by US?

The United States government has designated what is known among Venezuelans as the “Cartel de los Soles” as a “terrorist organisation”, marking Washington’s latest effort to put pressure on President Nicolas Maduro as the US weighs up military action on land.

On November 16, the US Department of State declared that the Cartel de los Soles, or Cartel of the Suns, a term Venezuelans use to refer to officials engaged in corruption, would be added to the “foreign terrorist organization” (FTO) list from today. The US alleges the “cartel” is overseen by Maduro himself.

Speaking to One America News on Friday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the designation “brings a whole bunch of new options to the United States”, adding that Washington does not consider Maduro a legitimate leader.

While Washington claims Cartel de los Soles is overseen by the Venezuelan president and includes members of his inner circle, including in the military, Maduro denies any personal involvement in drug trafficking and even the existence of the alleged cartel.

In a statement responding to the move, Venezuela’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the action was a “ridiculous lie” used to justify future military intervention.

The US State Department alleges that the Cartel de los Soles, along with the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua criminal gang, is responsible for extensive drug-trafficking operations in the US and Europe.

According to the think tank InsightCrime, the name Cartel de los Soles emerged in the 1990s when Venezuelan generals and senior officers, who wore sun insignias on their epaulettes, were investigated for drug trafficking and related crimes.