The United States has formally labeled the ‘Cartel of the Suns’ as a foreign terrorist organization, placing it alongside groups like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. This designation comes amid ongoing US military strikes on boats off Venezuela’s coast, which the Pentagon justifies as targeting ‘narcoterrorism’ and has led to over 80 casualties. The US Treasury has reiterated longstanding claims that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose political legitimacy Washington disputes, leads the alleged network.
The term ‘Cartel of the Suns’ originally emerged in the 1990s as a media reference to supposed corruption involving Venezuelan military officers who reportedly wore sun-shaped insignia. In 2020, the US indicted Maduro and 14 officials, accusing them of drug trafficking and organized crime, asserting that they collectively ran the cartel.
Despite the formal designation, many analysts and regional leaders have cast doubt on the cartel’s existence. While acknowledging that individual officials may be involved in illicit schemes, skeptics argue that claims of a centralized, hierarchical criminal enterprise are unfounded. Justice Minister Diosdado Cabello, one of the officials charged by the US, criticized the designation, calling it a tool to label anyone who ‘bothers them’ as cartel members. Colombian President Gustavo Petro dismissed the Cartel of the Suns as a ‘fictional excuse of the far right to bring down governments that do not obey them.’
The recent US strikes in the Caribbean, combined with a buildup of military assets in the region, have led to speculation that Washington may be preparing for a renewed effort to remove Maduro from power. This has raised concerns among other nations, including Brazil, which has expressed significant worry over the presence of US forces in the region. During the US President Donald Trump’s first term, Washington recognized opposition figure Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, though his subsequent attempts to overthrow Maduro failed. The ongoing tensions highlight the complex geopolitical dynamics at play, as the US seeks to exert influence in the region while facing resistance from both internal and external stakeholders.