US Labels Maduro-Tied Group as Terror Entity, Escalating Pressure on Venezuelan Leader

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The US government has designated a Venezuelan group tied to President Nicolás Maduro as a foreign terrorist organization, further straining relations between the two countries. However, experts argue that the group, known as Cartel de los Soles, is not a traditional cartel but rather a loose network of corrupt officials and military officers. The move, announced in the Federal Register, is part of the Trump administration's efforts to combat drug trafficking and is seen as a significant escalation in its campaign against Maduro. The US has accused the group of being responsible for terrorist violence in the Western Hemisphere and has imposed sanctions on its leaders. The Cartel de los Soles was originally a term used by Venezuelans in the 1990s to refer to high-ranking military officers who had grown wealthy from drug trafficking. Over time, the term expanded to include corrupt police and government officials, as well as other illicit activities. The US Justice Department indicted Maduro and his inner circle in 2020 on charges of narcoterrorism and other crimes, alleging that they had conspired to flood the US with cocaine. The indictment accused the Venezuelan leader and his allies of using the drug trade as a weapon against America. Maduro's government has denied the existence of the cartel and accused the US of fabricating a narrative to justify its intervention in Venezuela. The Venezuelan leader has been under increasing pressure from the US, which has imposed sanctions on him and his allies and has sent military vessels to the Caribbean. The US Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, said that the designation of Cartel de los Soles provides new options for dealing with Maduro, but declined to provide details on what those options are. The Trump administration has signaled that it sees Maduro's rule as unsustainable and is considering various military and non-military options, including covert action by the CIA. As tensions between the US and Venezuela continue to escalate, Maduro's government is facing growing anxiety and desperation. The US has reported that chatter picked up inside Venezuela indicates that Maduro and his allies are becoming increasingly anxious about the US strikes. However, Trump has not ruled out the possibility of talks with Maduro and has invited his intermediaries to speak directly to the administration.