The United States has officially designated Venezuela's "Cartel de los Soles" and Colombia's "Clan del Golfo" as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). These actions broaden U.S. powers to target alleged drug trafficking networks and occur amidst heightened regional tensions and a comprehensive U.S. anti-drug strategy that includes maritime interdiction operations and warnings of potential land strikes.
U.S. Designates Venezuela's 'Cartel de los Soles'
The U.S. administration is proceeding with the FTO designation of Venezuela's "Cartel de los Soles." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the organization is:
"responsible for terrorist violence" in the Western Hemisphere.
The U.S. Justice Department in 2020 described the "Cartel de los Soles" as a drug-trafficking organization allegedly led by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, announcing an indictment against Maduro and associates on narcoterrorism and other charges. The U.S. currently offers a reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest.
Venezuela's foreign ministry has "categorically, firmly, and absolutely rejected" the designation, calling it a "new and ridiculous lie." Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela's interior and justice minister and an individual alleged to be a high-ranking member, has consistently referred to the cartel as an "invention" used by U.S. officials to target opponents. Colombian President Gustavo Petro also denied the cartel's existence, characterizing it as:
"the fictional excuse of the far right to bring down governments that do not obey them."
The U.S. State Department, however, asserts that the "Cartel de los Soles" exists and has "corrupted Venezuela's military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary."
The term "Cartel de los Soles," meaning "Cartel of the Suns," originated in Venezuela in the early 1990s, initially referring to high-ranking military officers implicated in drug trafficking, named after the sun insignia on senior military uniforms. Over time, its use broadened to include police and government officials allegedly involved in activities such as illegal mining and fuel trafficking. Adam Isaacson, director for defense oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America, noted that it is not a traditional group with identified members, regular meetings, or a defined hierarchy, operating instead as a system of widespread corruption. Raúl Benítez-Manau, an organized crime expert, suggested the group's activities began in the late 1980s and early 1990s, strengthening during the early presidency of Hugo Chávez (1999-2013).
U.S. officials maintain the cartel's operations extend to the highest levels of the Maduro government. The 2020 indictment alleged that Maduro, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López conspired with Colombian rebels and Venezuelan military elements for several years to traffic cocaine into the United States. Allegations include that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), before a 2016 peace agreement, utilized the Venezuela-Colombia border region as a safe haven and transit point for U.S.-bound cocaine, reportedly with the knowledge or support of Venezuelan security forces. Dissident factions and the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group have allegedly continued involvement in this trade.
Maduro has denied these charges and consistently asserted that the U.S. is constructing a fabricated drug-trafficking narrative to justify attempts to remove him from power. He and other Venezuelan officials cite a United Nations report which, they state, indicates that only 5% of Colombian-produced cocaine transits through Venezuela. In July, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the "Cartel de los Soles," alleging that Maduro and his allies utilized Venezuelan government, military, and intelligence services to facilitate narcotics trafficking to the U.S. U.S. authorities have also alleged that the cartel provided material support to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa cartel, both previously designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S.
U.S. Designates Colombia's 'Clan del Golfo'
The U.S. Treasury Department has officially designated the Colombian drug-trafficking organization known as Clan del Golfo (Gulf Clan) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. This designation occurred hours after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order classifying the synthetic opioid fentanyl as a "weapon of mass destruction." Both actions align with the Trump administration's anti-drug strategy.
Clan del Golfo is described as a criminal organization involved in cocaine trafficking from Colombia, the world's largest producer, to the U.S. and Europe. It is also involved in migrant smuggling through the Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the group is:
responsible for terrorist attacks against public officials, law enforcement, military personnel, and civilians in Colombia.
The group is estimated to have thousands of members and is considered Colombia's largest active cocaine-trafficking organization. Its former leader, Dairo Úsugas, was arrested in 2021, with leadership subsequently assumed by an individual known as "Chiquito Malo." Clan del Golfo joins other Colombian groups on the FTO list, including the National Liberation Army (ELN) and two factions that separated from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) after its 2016 peace agreement.
Implications for Colombian Peace Efforts
The U.S. FTO designation for Clan del Golfo occurred less than two weeks after Colombian President Gustavo Petro signed an agreement with the group aimed at achieving peace in areas under its control. President Petro's presidential campaign focused on a promise of "total peace" for Colombia. The agreement included an understanding that its members would not face extradition to the U.S. The U.S. designation is anticipated to introduce complications into these ongoing talks. President Petro has not issued a public response to the U.S. action.
Broader U.S. Anti-Drug Strategy and Regional Context
These designations represent an extension of existing U.S. measures aimed at combating drug trafficking. Prior to this year, the FTO label was primarily applied to groups employing violence for political objectives. In February, the U.S. administration applied this designation to eight Latin American criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking, migrant smuggling, and other illicit activities.
The U.S. has engaged in a months-long anti-drug operation, including a military presence in the Caribbean Sea and interdiction of boats suspected of drug trafficking. These operations, initiated off Venezuela's coast and later extended to the eastern Pacific Ocean, are stated to prevent narcotics from reaching American cities.
Over 20 lethal strikes on suspected drug-carrying vessels have been reported, resulting in over 90 fatalities.
Some legal experts have raised concerns regarding the legality of these strikes.
Relations between Colombian President Petro and the Trump administration have been characterized by tension. President Petro previously described the U.S. lethal strikes on alleged drug vessels in the Pacific as "murder." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly referred to President Petro as a "lunatic."
The U.S., like the previous administration, does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate president, following a presidential election result disputed by opposition claims and reports of irregularities. Accusations of human rights violations against government opponents have been made against Maduro and senior officials. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the designation of "Cartel de los Soles" would provide:
"new options" for the U.S. in its approach to Maduro, without specifying details or confirming potential land strikes within Venezuela.
The FTO designation provides the U.S. with additional powers. Any assets held by the designated groups in U.S. financial institutions are subject to freezing, and individuals, including U.S. citizens, who knowingly provide "material support" to the groups can face prosecution. President Trump has issued warnings about potential "strikes on land" against "narco-terrorists," stating:
"it's not only land strikes on Venezuela, it's land strikes on horrible people that are bringing in drugs and killing our people."
He also referenced Colombia, stating:
"Colombia has at least three cocaine factories. That's a different country."