U.S. Declares Nicolás Maduro’s Cartel of the Suns as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” and Elevates the Chavista Regime to Formal Enemy of the State Status: The Last Legal Step Before Military Action

The United States government has taken one of the most forceful steps in recent decades against Nicolás Maduro’s regime.

The State Department announced the designation of the Cartel of the Suns, a criminal structure directly linked to the Chavista apparatus, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), a measure that will take effect on November 24.

With this declaration, Washington formally places the Venezuelan regime in the category of a state enemy.

Until now, the Cartel of the Suns was listed only as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), a classification primarily focused on enforcing financial sanctions.

But the FTO designation represents a qualitative leap: it allows the application of much stricter criminal, operational, and national security tools, including the possibility of prosecuting any individual or entity that provides material, financial, or logistical support to the cartel.

U.S. authorities maintain that the Cartel of the Suns operates under the direct leadership of Nicolás Maduro and key figures of the Chavista regime, who have allegedly transformed state institutions —such as the military, intelligence, judiciary, and legislature— into instruments serving narcoterrorism.

The accusation is unequivocal: a political regime transformed into a criminal organization with a state structure.

Washington also points out that the Cartel of the Suns maintains active alliances with international criminal networks and groups responsible for violence in the hemisphere.

These connections, according to the U.S. government, consolidate the terrorist nature of the Chavista apparatus, whose reach goes beyond Venezuelan borders.

The FTO designation has immediate repercussions. Any person or company collaborating with the cartel may face criminal charges, asset freezes, disqualification from operating in the U.S., and even deportation.

The U.S. government considers this measure as reinforcing national security, protecting American families, and preserving public order against external threats.

The strategic context in which this announcement is made is particularly delicate: the United States has significantly increased its military presence in the Caribbean and areas near Venezuela, which analysts interpret as building the legal framework prior to more forceful decisions.

The FTO designation, by its nature, constitutes the last legal threshold before considering higher-intensity actions.

This move also exposes the responsibility of the international left, which for years has whitewashed, defended, or relativized the crimes of the Chavista regime under the rhetoric of anti-imperialism.

While millions of Venezuelans suffered institutional devastation, repression, and economic collapse, much of the global progressive movement justified the disaster as a “popular project.”

Today, the reality is undeniable: the model that some ideological sectors presented as an example of social justice is officially recognized as a terrorist structure.

Washington’s decision marks a before and after. It not only intensifies pressure on Maduro’s regime but also redefines its nature before the international community.

With this designation, the United States affirms its commitment to defending order, legitimate authority, national security, and traditional values against a regime that has fused political power with organized crime.

For Chavismo, this is the point closest to direct confrontation; for the West, a reaffirmation that tolerance of leftist authoritarianism has only served to strengthen those who now emerge as global threats.

Quoting the United States Constitution is now pearl clutching?...

,....

No.

But your so called Constitutional Republic slipped on a Banana peel some time back and you appear to be oblivious to it.

Here’s some US code that sort of explains what your Swamp Legislative Branch allows these days.
....

50 U.S.C. § 1550 - U.S. Code - Unannotated Title 50. War and National Defense § 1550. Reports and briefings on use of military force and support of partner forces
Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(a)In general

Not later than 180 days after December 20, 2019, and every 180 days thereafter, the President shall submit to the congressional defense committees, the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on actions taken pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107-40) against those countries or organizations described in such law, as well as any actions taken to command, coordinate, participate in the movement of, or accompany the regular or irregular military forces of any foreign country or government when such forces are engaged in hostilities or in situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, during the preceding 180-day period.

(b)Matters to be included

The report required by subsection (a) shall include, with respect to the time period for which the report was submitted, the following:

(1) A list of each country or organization with respect to which force has been used pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force, including the legal and factual basis for the determination that authority under such law applies with respect to each such country or organization.

(2) An intelligence assessment of the risk to the United States posed by each such country or organization.

(3) A list of each country in which operations were conducted pursuant to such law and a description of the circumstances necessitating the use of force pursuant to such law, including whether the country is designated as an area of active hostilities.

(4) A general description of the status of operations conducted pursuant to such law as well as a description of the expected scope and duration of such operations.

(5) A list of each partner force and country with respect to which United States Armed Forces have commanded, coordinated, participated in the movement of, or accompanied the regular or irregular forces of any foreign country or government that have engaged in hostilities or there existed an imminent threat that such forces would become engaged in hostilities, including—

(A) a delineation of any such instances in which such United States Armed Forces were or were not operating under the Authorization for Use of Military Force; and

(B) a determination of whether the foreign forces, irregular forces, groups, or individuals against which such hostilities occurred are covered by such law.

(6) A description of the actual and proposed contributions, including financing, equipment, training, troops, and logistical support, provided by each foreign country that participates in any international coalition with the United States to combat a country or organization described in the Authorization for Use of Military Force.

(c)Form

The information required under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) shall be submitted in unclassified form.

(d)Other reports

If United States Armed Forces are introduced into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, against any country, organization, or person pursuant to statutory or constitutional authorities other than Authorization for Use of Military Force, the President shall comply with the reporting requirements under—

(1) this section to the same extent and in the same manner as if such actions had been taken under Authorization for Use of Military Force;

(2) the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1541 et seq.); and

(3) any other applicable provision of law.

(e)Briefings

At least once during each 180-day period described in subsection (a), the President shall provide to the congressional defense committees, the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a briefing on the matters covered by the report required under this section for such period

April 1 2020 began the operation.

You weren’t crying or clutching your pearls then, were you?

You were doing the Wuhan Coup Flu Shuffle then..

https://www.southcom.mil/EnhancedCounterNarcoticsOps/

Mission:
On April 1, 2020, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) began enhanced counternarcotics operations in the Western Hemisphere to disrupt the flow of drugs in support of Presidential national security objectives.

You think this just started?

Some of what we’ve been seeing could be years old regarding the blowing these narcoterrorists out of the water.

The Wuhan Coup Flu was quite a time to start this op.

Everybody was practicing social distancing.

Except narcoterrorists.

1). You claim that the War Powers Act gives Trump the authority to attack alleged narcoterrorists (by citing in extenso the wrong section). I pointed out that this month, the Trump Administration literally said the War Powers Act does NOT apply to the narco-terrorist operations

2) in “response,” you the go on an unhinged and incoherent rant about COVID, “Wuhan Coup Flu,” and an April 1, 2020 SOUTHCOM counter narcotics operation memo.
You do realize who was president on April 1, 2020…or perhaps you don’t.
The memo you link to pertains to cooperation with other countries, an increased presence in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific, for the purposes of intelligence and drug interdiction. There is nothing in the memorandum regarding kinetic strikes or other euphemisms for killing.

You are obviously very passionate about something or several things, I can’t tell as your comments are disassociated from both logical thought and reality. This is the last time that I waste time engaging with you.

You should put away the keyboard and seek psychiatric help. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Nice try,but I brought up the April 1 2020 .mil to show this isn’t something that started in 2025 on a whim.

It was planned long ago, and yes President Trump 45-47 was the President and Commander in Chief.

That’s sort of the point I was making.

You didn’t cry way back then because we didn’t get to see any of the operation then.
But Congress would have been briefed.

What we are seeing publicly for the first time, is actual public disclosure.

That’s what’s changed.

You now know about it, but that’s not the first time for your Congress.

And started so long ago that Colombia was a global partner in this and it appears they are no longer a partner.

I didn’t start the National Emergences regarding Venezuela.

They’ve been there since Obama.

Sort of like Ukraine and all the other worldly messes that seem to be endless.

Your Swamp Banana Republic appears to be okay with starting stuff and apparently upset that President Trump wants to actually solve the endless messes.

You want to know what I think?

I think all during the auto pen the Operation didn’t stop.

It’s been ongoing since April 1 2020, just as it states in that .mil site.

The problem is we have just been shown publicly some of the fruit of that labor recently.

This isn’t something that started January 20, 2025 from a half cocked President and Commander in Chief.

That’s my point.

Your mileage varies.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.