The decision by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to designate the Soles Cartel as a global terrorist organization signifies a critical turn in foreign policy regarding Venezuela. Officially announced on July 25, 2025, this action ramps up pressure on regime leaders and presents significant challenges to the international community’s fight against transnational organized crime.
What is the Soles Cartel?
This is a criminal network infiltrated within the Venezuelan military and political structures. It is linked to activities of drug trafficking, money laundering, systematic corruption, and cooperation with illegal armed groups. According to U.S. sources, Nicolás Maduro leads this organization alongside high-ranking officials such as Diosdado Cabello and Vladimir Padrino López.
Immediate Implications of the Designation
Freezing of assets under U.S. jurisdiction.
Prohibition on financial transactions with U.S. citizens and entities.
Criminal risks for sanctions violations.
Financial and diplomatic isolation of the implicated leaders.
Who is Sanctioned?
The three main leaders face individual sanctions, including millions in rewards offered by the State Department:
LíderCargoRecompensa (USD)RazonesNicolás MaduroPresidente$25 millonesNarcotráfico, corrupción, liderazgo del cartelDiosdado CabelloPresidente ANC$25 millonesCorrupción, tráfico de drogasVladimir Padrino LópezMinistro de Defensa$15 millonesNarcotráfico, protección del régimen
Comparison with Other Sanctioned Cartels
This strategy is not isolated. The U.S. has imposed similar sanctions on criminal organizations in Mexico and Ecuador:
OrganizaciónPaísFechaMotivoCártel Jalisco Nueva GeneraciónMéxico09/09/2024Fentanilo, violencia, lavado de dineroCártel de SinaloaMéxico30/03/2025Narcotráfico, corrupción transnacionalLos LobosEcuador07/06/2024Narcotráfico, desestabilización regional
Challenges for the International Community
Multilateral coordination: Freezing assets and diplomatic limitations from Europe and Latin America.
Financial tracking: Actions against tax havens and banking entities in lax jurisdictions.
International justice: Strengthening judicial processes in global forums and regional courts.
Protection for victims and witnesses: Asylum for whistleblowers and human rights defenders.
What Impact Can This Measure Have?
In the short term, the regime will seek to bolster its narrative of political persecution. However, in the medium and long term, these sanctions limit their access to resources, complicate their influence networks, and increase their international isolation. Everything hinges on the effectiveness of global cooperation and the diplomatic, financial, and judicial blockade that can be constructed.
The designation of the Soles Cartel as a terrorist organization is a decisive move by the U.S. in the fight against organized crime operating from power. It sends a clear message to the networks of corruption and drug trafficking that currently govern Venezuela. But real change will only be possible if this measure becomes part of a coherent, sustained, and global policy.
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