US moves to label Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles terrorist organisation as military pressure mounts

The United States is preparing to designate Venezuela’s so called Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organisation, a move set to take effect on Monday under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Washington claims the network is linked to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, though the label itself is something of a misnomer. It is not a conventional cartel, but a long used term referring to senior military officers and government figures accused of corruption and involvement in illicit activities.

The timing is hard to ignore. The designation comes amid an intensified US military buildup in the Caribbean near Venezuela, raising speculation that the move could provide legal justification for more direct action. A strike on Venezuelan territory would mark a serious escalation of an operation that has already seen more than 80 people killed in boat strikes targeting alleged drug traffickers.

Unnamed US officials told Reuters that a new phase of operations may begin in the coming days, though the exact scope and whether Trump has made a final decision remains unclear. One senior official said they would not rule anything out.

Two officials suggested that covert operations could be the first step in any new approach, with scenarios reportedly including efforts aimed at removing Maduro from power.

The term emerged in the 1990s, used by Venezuelans to describe high ranking military officers who had allegedly enriched themselves through drug trafficking. Over time, as corruption scandals widened, it came to encompass a broader network allegedly involving police and government officials linked to crimes such as illegal mining and fuel smuggling.

The “suns” in the name refer to the insignia on the shoulders of senior military officers’ uniforms.

In 2020, during Trump’s first term, the US Department of Justice elevated the term to describe what it framed as an organised narcotrafficking group, announcing indictments against Maduro and his inner circle on charges including narcoterrorism.

Maduro has long argued that Washington is attempting to unseat him, saying any such efforts would be met with resistance from Venezuela’s citizens and armed forces. Still, fears of further escalation are rippling beyond Venezuelan borders.

Six airlines suspended their flights to Venezuela over the weekend after US aviation authorities warned of risks tied to “heightened military activity”. Spain’s Iberia, Portugal’s TAP, Chile’s LATAM, Colombia’s Avianca and Brazil’s GOL paused routes, according to ALAV president Marisela de Loaiza, while Turkish Airlines said it would halt flights from November 24 to 28.