Sen. Marco Rubio said the U.S. will designate Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, with the designation set to take effect on Nov. 24. The State Department accuses the network of being led by Nicolás Maduro and senior regime figures and of coordinating with groups such as Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel to carry out violence and traffic drugs to the U.S. and Europe. The move, taken under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, could enable additional sanctions and operational measures against cartel-linked targets.
U.S. to Designate Venezuela’s ‘Cartel de los Soles’ as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, Rubio Says
Sen. Marco Rubio said the U.S. will designate Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, with the designation set to take effect on Nov. 24. The State Department accuses the network of being led by Nicolás Maduro and senior regime figures and of coordinating with groups such as Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel to carry out violence and traffic drugs to the U.S. and Europe. The move, taken under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, could enable additional sanctions and operational measures against cartel-linked targets.
11:56 AM, 11/17/2025Politics
U.S. to label Cartel de los Soles an FTO
Senator Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. State Department intends to designate the Cartel de los Soles — a criminal network alleged to be linked to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and senior regime officials — as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). The designation is scheduled to take effect on Nov. 24, pending publication in the Federal Register.
What the U.S. says
In a statement accompanying the announcement, the State Department described the group as "based in Venezuela" and asserted it is "headed by Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking individuals of the illegitimate Maduro regime who have corrupted Venezuela’s military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary." The statement added that "neither Maduro nor his cronies represent Venezuela’s legitimate government."
"The Cartel de los Soles, in coordination with other terrorist organizations including Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel, is responsible for terrorist violence across our hemisphere and for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe," the Department said.
Legal basis and prior measures
The action is being taken under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which authorizes the State Department to designate foreign entities engaged in terrorist activity. The cartel previously faced U.S. financial sanctions under Executive Order 13224, which targets terrorists and those who provide material support to terrorism.
Reactions and possible implications
President Donald Trump backed the announcement, saying the administration remains determined to stop drugs and drug traffickers from entering the United States. He also suggested the designation could give U.S. authorities broader authority to target assets or infrastructure linked to the network, and said there may be ongoing communications with Venezuelan officials.
U.S. officials have warned the designation could carry significant diplomatic and operational consequences, and some lawmakers and advisers have suggested it might justify more direct action against cartel-linked targets. The designation becomes official once published in the Federal Register and could trigger additional sanctions, travel restrictions, and criminal penalties for providing support to the group.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department for further comment.