US to label Venezuelan president a terrorist
The US State Department announced on November 16 that the Cartel de los Soles, a group Washington alleges is headed by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, will be designated a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), BBC News reports.
The decision means Maduro would effectively be designated as a terrorist, due to US claims that he leads the network, an allegation he rejects.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the designation would officially come into effect on November 24, describing the move as part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to intensify pressure on Maduro and curb drug trafficking. The administration is also weighing potential military action inside Venezuela as tensions between the two governments escalate.
The FTO designation will give the US legal authority to impose more stringent penalties on those who knowingly provide support to the group. While the US Treasury Department has previously sanctioned the Cartel de los Soles, the FTO label represents a significant escalation and unlocks expanded enforcement powers.
The term Cartel de los Soles is used by US officials to describe an alleged Venezuelan criminal network involved in activities such as drug trafficking and illegal mining. Washington asserts that the group includes figures from Maduro’s inner circle and that the narco-terrorist network is embedded within Venezuela’s military infrastructure.
The US has not publicly released evidence of Maduro’s direct role, but its portrayal of him as the leader of a FTO has raised questions over whether it might justify targeting him or close associates as part of a campaign aimed at regime change in Caracas.
However Donald Trump indicated on November 16, after the FTO designation’s announcement, that potential talks with Maduro remain possible, reports AFP. He told reporters that “we may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out”.
Speculation about possible US strikes on land targets in Venezuela has grown in recent months. In October, Maduro accused the US of “fabricating a new war” following the deployment of the USS Gerald Ford to the Caribbean.
President Donald Trump has said he has “sort of” reached a decision on how to proceed, adding that he asked Rubio to consult Congress.
Venezuela has declared a major mobilisation of its armed forces in response to what it calls an escalating “imperialist threat” from the US military build-up in the Caribbean.
US officials continue to accuse Venezuela of failing to curb narcotics activity, although fentanyl is primarily produced in Mexico using chemicals sourced largely from Asia. The US reports at least 21 strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats off the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia since September, resulting in at least 83 deaths.
BBC News, AFP, Maghrebi.org
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