This development comes amidst weeks of US “narcoterrorism” operations, involving strikes on vessels off the Venezuelan coast, which have reportedly resulted in approximately 80 fatalities.
According to an Axios report on Tuesday, which cited administration officials, US President Donald Trump intends to engage in direct talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, even though Washington has designated Maduro as the leader of a terrorist organization.
The United States has formally classified the ‘Cartel of the Suns’ – an alleged criminal network believed to operate within Venezuela’s security apparatus – as a foreign terrorist organization, placing it alongside groups like Al-Qaeda and Islamic State. In its Monday announcement, the US Treasury reiterated persistent claims that Maduro, whose legitimacy Washington questions, leads this group.
Axios stated that Trump’s initiative signifies a significant shift in his approach of “gunboat diplomacy” concerning Venezuela, potentially suggesting that US missile strikes or ground incursions are improbable in the immediate future.
“Currently, there are no plans to enter and either shoot or abduct him. While I wouldn’t rule it out entirely, it’s not the present strategy,” an unnamed official familiar with the matter informed Axios.
The official reportedly further stated, “Meanwhile, our focus will be on destroying vessels engaged in drug shipments. We intend to halt drug trafficking.”
A potential phone call between Trump and Maduro is currently “in the planning stages” and no specific date has been scheduled, Axios reported, attributing this information to another US official.
This development follows almost two months of US airstrikes against small vessels off the Venezuelan coast. The Pentagon asserts these operations target “narcoterrorism” and have resulted in approximately 80 deaths.
The designation ‘Cartel of the Suns’ originated in the 1990s, used by media to describe alleged corruption among Venezuelan officers identifiable by sun-shaped insignia. In 2020, the US charged Maduro along with 14 current or former officials with drug-trafficking and organized-crime offenses, asserting they jointly led the cartel. Maduro has consistently refuted these drug trafficking accusations and cautioned the US against initiating “a crazy war.”
Trump has also reportedly sanctioned various measures aimed at pressuring Venezuela and preparing for a potentially wider military campaign, which encompasses covert CIA operations against Maduro’s administration.
Caracas has condemned the US military buildup, labeling it a breach of its sovereignty and an attempted coup, and has placed its forces on high alert. Maduro, for his part, has stated Venezuela’s readiness for “face-to-face” discussions with Washington.