The Trump administration is set to expand its ability to take action against Venezuela starting Monday, as the U.S. labels Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his government allies as members of a foreign terrorist organization.
This designation of “Cartel de los Soles,” a term experts believe describes corrupt government officials rather than an organized crime group, will allow President Donald Trump to impose new sanctions on Maduro’s assets and infrastructure. However, it does not clearly give permission to use lethal force, according to legal experts.
Despite this, administration officials say the designation will give the U.S. more military options for actions within Venezuela.
“Cartel de los Soles” refers to a loose network of Venezuelan military groups involved in drug trafficking. President Maduro denies any involvement in drug trafficking, and his government disputes the existence of the alleged cartel, which some experts claim does not exist in a conventional way.
This designation was announced on November 16 and comes as the U.S. military has brought together more than a dozen warships and 15,000 troops in the region under what the Pentagon calls “Operation Southern Spear.” The U.S. military has carried out boat strikes against drug traffickers, resulting in the deaths of many people.
Trump has received updates from top officials about different ways to act in Venezuela. Options include military strikes on key government or military targets and special operations raids, but doing nothing is also an option.
On Monday, General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his senior adviser, David Isom, will visit Puerto Rico. They want to thank service members for their support of missions in the Caribbean Sea.
Trump Administration to Cut Illegal Migration
Many people in the U.S. are against military involvement in Venezuela. A CBS News/YouGov poll released on Sunday shows that 70% of Americans oppose military action, while 30% support it. Additionally, 76% of those surveyed feel that the Trump administration has not clearly explained its position on military actions.
The Trump administration says it is working to reduce illegal migration and drug trafficking, but achieving regime change in Venezuela may be a side effect. A U.S. official stated that Trump hopes pressure will make Maduro step down without any direct military action.
In response, the Venezuelan government rejected the classification of the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization, calling it a “ridiculous fabrication.”
They added, “This new move will end up like all previous aggressions against our country: it will fail.”
Trump has indicated that he might be open to talking with Maduro. Last week, he mentioned that Maduro “would like to talk” and later said he could speak with him “at a certain time.”
Tensions are rising, and on Thursday, the U.S. showed a strong military presence near Venezuela. During several hours, at least six U.S. aircraft were seen off the coast, including a supersonic F/A-18E fighter jet, a B-52 bomber, and reconnaissance planes, according to flight data reviewed by CNN.
Over the weekend, three international airlines canceled flights from Venezuela after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned airlines about a “potentially hazardous situation” when flying over the country, according to Reuters.
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