November 25, 2025 | 10:30 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump may gain expanded authority to take action against Venezuela starting Monday, following Washington’s designation of President Nicolás Maduro and several of his allies as members of a foreign terrorist organization.
According to CNN, the U.S. designated the so-called Cartel de los Soles, a term analysts say refers more to allegedly corrupt Venezuelan officials than to a structured criminal network. The move allows Trump to impose new sanctions targeting Maduro’s assets and infrastructure.
Legal experts noted that the designation does not explicitly authorize the use of lethal force. However, U.S. officials said the classification, which is considered one of the State Department’s most severe counterterrorism tools, broadens the military options available for potential strikes inside Venezuela.
Experts say Cartel de los Soles is commonly used to describe loose networks within Venezuela’s military that are allegedly involved in drug trafficking.
Maduro has repeatedly denied any personal role, and his government rejects the existence of the so-called cartel, which analysts say does not function as a traditional criminal organization.
The designation, issued on November 16, comes as the U.S. has deployed more than a dozen warships and 15,000 troops to the region under what the Pentagon calls Operation Southern Spear.
The U.S. military has conducted raids it claims are part of an anti–drug trafficking campaign, resulting in dozens of deaths.
Trump has been briefed on a range of potential actions in Venezuela, including airstrikes on military or government facilities and special operations raids, though officials note that “doing nothing” remains an option.
Meanwhile, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine and senior adviser David Isom are scheduled to visit Puerto Rico on Monday to meet troops supporting the mission in the Caribbean.
Public opinion in the United States leans strongly against military intervention. A YouGov poll released Sunday found that 70 percent of Americans oppose military action in Venezuela, while 30 percent support it. Seventy-six percent of respondents said the Trump administration has not clearly explained its position on the matter.
Officially, the White House says its aim is to curb illegal migration and drug trafficking. But several U.S. officials acknowledge that pressuring Maduro from power remains a central objective. Trump believes that increased pressure, short of military force, may be enough to push Maduro to step aside.
The Venezuelan government condemned the U.S. designation of Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, calling it “a foolish maneuver” that will “fail” like previous U.S. actions.
“This new maneuver will follow the same fate as previous and recurring aggressions against our country: failure,” the statement continued.
Despite heightened tensions, Trump has signaled openness to a diplomatic track, saying last week that Maduro “wants to talk” and indicating he is willing to engage “at the right time.”
According to officials, Maduro and his inner circle have used several channels to reach out to the White House, and discussions continue over how communication between the two governments might proceed.
One proposal, still undeveloped, involves direct talks between Trump and Maduro. The White House declined CNN’s request for comment on the possibility of such a meeting.
Amid escalating pressure, the U.S. conducted its largest military show of force near Venezuela last Thursday, with at least six U.S. aircraft, including F/A-18E fighter jets, B-52 strategic bombers, and reconnaissance planes, operating off the Venezuelan coast for several hours, CNN reported based on open-source flight data.
Over the weekend, three international airlines canceled flights departing Venezuela after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned commercial carriers of a “potentially hazardous situation” when flying over the country.
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