The United States designates the Venezuelan cartel as a terrorist organization, stating “Maduro is the leader.”

Trump’s ‘Double-Edged Strategy’: Plans for Direct Talks with Maduro

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Correspondent Shin Chang-yong reports that on the 24th (local time), the Trump administration officially designated the ‘Cartel of the Suns’ in Venezuela as a ‘Foreign Terrorist Organization’ (FTO), according to Reuters.

The Trump administration has labeled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as the head of this cartel, intensifying pressure on his regime.

The U.S. State Department reportedly designated the Cartel of the Suns as an FTO on allegations that it was involved in smuggling illegal drugs into the United States.

The Cartel of the Suns derives its name from the 1990s, referring to corrupt high-ranking Venezuelan military officers involved in drug trafficking, whose uniforms at that time featured sun-symbol rank insignias.

Being designated as an FTO means the organization’s assets in the U.S. are frozen and anyone supporting them can face criminal penalties.

Previously, in September, the Trump administration had designated another Venezuela-based cartel, ‘Tren de Aragua,’ as an FTO.

In response, the Venezuelan government dismissed the FTO designation as “ridiculous fabrication,” stating that the Cartel of the Suns doesn’t exist.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ivan Gil criticized the FTO designation as a “desperate lie meant to justify illegal and illegitimate intervention,” saying it would fail like previous attacks.

Minister Gil remarked, “The U.S. purpose is solely to secure Venezuela’s oil, gas, gold, and minerals,” denouncing the FTO designation as an attempt to justify an illegal regime change.

Claiming a “war on drug trafficking,” the Trump administration has recently attacked vessels suspected of being Venezuelan drug transport ships on the high seas, resulting in at least 80 fatalities.

Simultaneously, the U.S. is strengthening its military presence in the waters near Venezuela, leading to speculations that the FTO designation could be groundwork for a military offensive to topple Maduro’s regime.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested the FTO designation “brings a host of new options for the U.S.,” hinting at possible military intervention.

However, experts counter that labeling a group as a terrorist organization does not justify military action.

A former senior Treasury official remarked, “I’ve been in countless meetings across agencies, but I’ve never heard that designating an FTO meets the standards for military action.”

On the same day the U.S. named President Maduro as the head of a terrorist organization, reports emerged of potential talks between President Trump and President Maduro.

Citing sources, U.S. online media Axios reported that President Trump plans to hold direct talks with President Maduro, which could be a sign that military action is not imminent.

However, the date for the conversation has not been set, and the plans are still in the planning stage.