Washington, 17 November 2025 (dpa/MIA) - The US Department of State on Sunday said it would designate the so-called "Cartel de los Soles," a suspected criminal syndicate allegedly made up of high-ranking Venezuelan officials, as a terrorist organization.

The department said the designation would be effective from November 24.

"Based in Venezuela, the Cartel de los Soles is headed by [President] Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking individuals of the illegitimate Maduro regime who have corrupted Venezuela's military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a brief statement.

"Neither Maduro nor his cronies represent Venezuela's legitimate government. Cartel de los Soles by and with other designated FTOs [Foreign Terrorist Organizations] including Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel are responsible for terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe."

Considered Venezuela's most powerful gang, Tren de Aragua is linked to drug trafficking, extortion, illegal mining and people smuggling, and has expanded its operations into other Latin American countries and the US. The US designated the group as a terrorist organization earlier this year.

According to the US administration, the Maduro regime has turned Venezuela into a narco-state, entering into partnership with Colombian guerrillas to export drugs to Europe and the US through an organization known as Cartel de los Soles - Cartel of the Suns in Spanish. Maduro has rejected the allegations.

For several weeks now, US forces have been attacking speedboats off the coast of Venezuela suspected of smuggling drugs into the US.

Caracas has denounced the significant US military presence in the area as a threatening gesture. The attacks have also drawn international criticism and prompted the United Nations to call on the US to exercise restraint.

Photo: archive