The Cartel of the Suns, a criminal organization led by Nicolás Maduro and his allies, has become the primary target in the global war on narcoterrorism spearheaded by the United States. This is evident from the recent actions taken by the Trump administration.
The U.S. government is taking strong measures against the Venezuelan regime, including designating the Cartel of the Suns as a global terrorist organization and increasing the reward for information leading to the capture of Maduro and other officials tied to his criminal activities.
The actions of the Cartel of the Suns and the Venezuelan dictatorship are not only related to drug trafficking but also to terrorism and a vast money laundering network in collaboration with international cartels. This includes the distribution of cocaine mixed with fentanyl in the U.S., a cocktail that has raised alarms among American authorities.
Maduro’s Response
The response from Nicolás Maduro’s regime has been swift, launching an expensive propaganda campaign while activating all chavista agents to denounce these actions as violations of sovereignty. They crafted a narrative of civic-military-police unity, accusing the U.S. of attempting to destabilize the country.
Maduro and his supporters have adopted the usual chavista rhetoric, emphasizing their refusal to “submit to the interests of the United States” while asserting their resilience.
Diosdado Cabello once again denied the existence of the Cartel of the Suns, labeling it as a U.S. lie aimed at manipulating public opinion. He has distorted information regarding cases like Clíver Alcalá Cordones and Hugo “Pollo” Carvajal through disinformation. An international strategy against those exposing their criminal nature is anticipated.
Furthermore, Maduro’s allies, including Russia, Iran, China, Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Turkey, are denouncing the U.S. measures as violations of international law and sovereignty.
Cartel of the Suns: A National Security Issue for the U.S.
Meanwhile, the U.S. justifies its actions as a matter of national security, using them to pressure the Venezuelan elite into betrayal.
These U.S. measures are based on explicit accusations of drug trafficking and links to transnational criminal organizations like the Cartel of the Suns. A crucial point is the assertion from U.S. Attorney Pamela Jo “Pam” Bondi, who claims that this global terrorist organization distributes a mix of cocaine with fentanyl.
The U.S. administration is redefining the fight against these organizations, classifying them not just as criminal groups but as “global terrorist organizations,” which allows for the use of national security, intelligence, and defense tools.
U.S. Actions Against Narcoterrorism
The United States has increased the reward for information leading to the capture of Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, deeming it a “historic” step. Rewards are also maintained for Diosdado Cabello Rondón and Vladimir Padrino López.
This is rooted in accusations of drug trafficking and collaboration with transnational criminal organizations by Maduro’s regime. The claims from the prosecutor regarding the drugs distributed by the Cartel of the Suns—a mix of cocaine and fentanyl—connect the opioid crisis in the U.S. with Venezuelan drug trafficking.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Venezuelan regime should not be viewed as a “local street gang,” but rather as a “terrorist group that often has its own armies controlling territory.”
The designation of the Cartel of the Suns as a global terrorist organization enables the Trump administration to utilize additional powers, intelligence agencies, and the Department of Defense in combating it.
Thus, cartels like the Cartel of the Suns and the Tren de Aragua are now categorized as criminal organizations that must be treated as terrorists due to their structure, war weapons, and territorial control.
Cartel of the Suns: A Money Laundering Criminal Enterprise
Beyond the rewards and drug trafficking, information available to the U.S. government suggests that this is fundamentally a large money laundering criminal enterprise that has undoubtedly empowered the Maduro regime.
In this regard, the Trump administration is preparing more actions and data about the money laundering corporation that the Venezuelan dictatorship has become with its associated agents. The measures to be implemented would focus on cutting off the financing that supports the chavista regime.
Increased Reward: An Invitation to Betrayal
The key tactical objective of the rewards established by the Trump administration is nothing less than an invitation to betrayal. It represents a significant financial temptation aimed at members of the chavista inner circle to encourage them to defect and provide valuable information that could lead to arrests.
While the direct capture of Nicolás Maduro is deemed unlikely, according to various reports, the rewards exert substantial psychological and financial pressure on the intimate circle surrounding the Venezuelan dictator.
Watch in Sin Filtros “Cartel of the Suns: Global War Against Narcoterrorism”: