The Trump administration designates Maduro as a member of a terrorist organization

BarcelonaVenezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and high-ranking officials in his government have been officially designated by the United States as members of an international terrorist organization, after the Cartel of the Suns was added to the State Department's list of terrorist organizations on Monday, as announced by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in mid-November. According to Washington, Maduro is the leader of this group. The Cartel of the Suns does not describe a conventional criminal cartel, like those in Colombia or Mexico, but rather a decentralized network of individuals in government positions and groups linked to the Venezuelan armed forces allegedly involved in drug trafficking. For the United States, it represents a web of corruption, smuggling, and institutional protection that allows sectors of the Venezuelan state to participate in drug trafficking.

The inclusion of this network in the category of international terrorist organization is one of the State Department's most forceful counterterrorism measures and represents a significant step in the US pressure strategy against the Chavista regime, opening the door to new operations and actions against Venezuela. "This measure gives our department more tools to offer the president options," stated US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth last week, without providing further details.

The Venezuelan president has deemed the US decision to designate the "nonexistent Cartel of the Suns" as a terrorist organization "ridiculous." "This new maneuver will follow the same fate as previous and recurring aggressions against our country: failure," the statement affirms.

A broader military campaign

There has been speculation for days that The United States could soon begin the second phase of its military operation in VenezuelaFour senior US officials confirmed to Reuters that the start of this phase is imminent, although Washington has not officially made any announcement. Among the options the US president is considering are covert missions, and there are also more forceful measures, such as removing Maduro from power.

Last Tuesday, according to the newspaper The New York TimesTrump had given his approval to a CIA covert action plan which could pave the way for a larger military campaign. It is unclear exactly what actions will be authorized or when they will be carried out.

The inclusion of the Cartel of the Suns as a terrorist organization comes after the United States deployed the aircraft carrier Gerald FordThe world's largest and most modern naval vessel, along with more than a dozen warships and some 15,000 troops, is part of Operation Southern Spear, presented as an offensive against drug trafficking. So far, Washington has attacked at least one twenty alleged drug dealers and has caused the death of at least 83 people.

The tensions have also affected international air traffic. Over the weekend, Several airlines canceled flights to or from Venezuela after the US Federal Aviation Administration warned of a "potentially dangerous" situation for companies flying over the country.