The United States’ Treasury Department has taken a significant step by officially labeling the ‘Cartel de los Soles’ as a global terrorist organization. This designation, announced in July as part of the Trump administration’s approach to combating transnational crime, marks a shift from the colloquial term that Venezuelans used to describe the pervasive influence of drug-related corruption among military and political figures.
Originally, Venezuelans used the phrase ‘Cartel de los Soles’ as a metaphorical expression for the corruption that plagued high-ranking officials, particularly generals, who were often implicated in drug trafficking. The term, however, has since been co-opted by U.S. authorities to denote a literal organization engaged in criminal activities, which the administration now seeks to combat through targeted designations. This development highlights the growing U.S. interest in addressing issues of transnational criminal networks and their potential links to state actors within Venezuela.