Washington had previously conducted strikes against boats alleged to be involved in “narcoterrorism” in the Caribbean
The United States has officially designated the ‘Cartel of the Suns’ — described as an alleged criminal enterprise operating within Venezuela’s security apparatus — as a foreign terrorist organization, categorizing it alongside groups like Al-Qaeda and Islamic State.
During its announcement on Thursday, the US Treasury reiterated long-held claims that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose legitimacy is contested by Washington, is at the head of this network.
This designation follows almost two months of American airstrikes targeting small vessels off Venezuela’s coastline. The Pentagon asserts these operations are intended to combat “narcoterrorism”, with approximately 80 fatalities reported.
The phrase ‘Cartel of the Suns’ first emerged in the 1990s, used by media to refer to purported corruption among Venezuelan military personnel said to wear sun-shaped insignia. In 2020, the US formally charged Maduro along with 14 current or former officials with drug trafficking and organized crime, asserting they operated the cartel as a unified entity.
However, many analysts and regional leaders have expressed skepticism regarding the cartel’s actual existence. While conceding that certain officials might engage in illegal activities, those who doubt the claims contend that assertions of a centralized, structured criminal organization lack evidence.
Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s Justice Minister and one of the officials indicted by the US, stated that Americans designate anyone who “causes them trouble” as cartel members. Colombian President Gustavo Petro characterized the Cartel of the Suns as a “fabricated pretext used by the far right to destabilize governments unwilling to comply.”
During the initial term of US President Donald Trump, Washington acknowledged opposition figure Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s rightful leader; however, his subsequent efforts to depose Maduro were unsuccessful.
The recent American attacks in the Caribbean, alongside an increased presence of military assets in the area, have prompted conjecture that Washington could be gearing up for another push to oust Maduro from leadership.