Venezuelan leader Maduro denounced as 'narco-terrorist' by Rubio, jeopardizing US security, a year after disputed election.
The United States government has accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of being the leader of the notorious Cartel de Los Soles, a drug trafficking organization responsible for smuggling narcotics into the United States and Europe.
This accusation comes as the Treasury Department has charged Maduro and 14 other Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking, and other criminal charges. The department alleges that these individuals have corrupted various Venezuelan institutions, including parts of the military, intelligence apparatus, legislature, and judiciary, to assist the cartel's drug trafficking activities.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been vocal in his criticism of Maduro, stating that the United States will continue working with its partners to hold the Maduro regime accountable for corruption, criminal activities, and illegitimate actions.
In March 2020, the Justice Department charged Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials with leading the Cartel de Los Soles. The cartel is accused of supporting Tren de Aragua in carrying out its objective of using illegal narcotics as a weapon against the United States.
Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel have been classified as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. administration. The Cartel de Los Soles is alleged to provide material support to these groups.
The U.S. has designated the Cartel de Los Soles as a terrorist organization, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stating that the new action exposes the illegitimate Maduro regime's facilitation of narco-terrorism through terrorist groups like Cartel de Los Soles.
The cartel, also known as Cartel of the Suns, derives its name from the sun insignias often portrayed on the uniforms of Venezuelan military officials. Maduro is also accused of manipulating Venezuela's electoral system to maintain his power.
The Trump administration has been escalating pressure against Maduro, with the State Department increasing its reward for information leading to Maduro's capture from $15 million to up to $25 million at the start of this year.
The municipal elections in Venezuela are happening on Sunday, one day before the one-year anniversary of the presidential election. However, the elections are scheduled on the eve of the anniversary of the stolen July 28 presidential election, raising concerns about suppression of the Venezuelan people's will.
Despite these accusations and the U.S. offering a $50 million bounty for Maduro’s capture, Maduro and the Venezuelan government deny these allegations, and no legal prosecution or direct arrest has been publicly reported as of September 2025.
Bessent added that the Treasury Department will continue to execute on President Trump's pledge to crack down on violent organizations including Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel, and their facilitators, like Cartel de los Soles. The United States stands firm in its commitment to combating drug trafficking and narco-terrorism worldwide.
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