US Moves to Label Venezuela-Based Cartel as Terrorist Group
Rubio stated in a press release that “Cartel de los Soles by and with other designated FTOs including Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel are responsible for terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe.”
He underscored that these organizations contribute significantly to regional instability and international narcotics smuggling.
He further accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and top members of his administration of directing the cartel, emphasizing that they did not “represent Venezuela’s legitimate government.”
Rubio added that “The United States will continue using all available tools to protect our national security interests and deny funding and resources to narco-terrorists,” stressing Washington’s intention to escalate pressure on groups tied to drug-related terrorism.
The US State Department had earlier labeled multiple Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations in February, a move that expanded intelligence agencies’ legal capacity to carry out clandestine missions.
US President Donald Trump has persisted in authorizing strikes on maritime vessels in both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, asserting that these ships are implicated in transporting narcotics into the United States.
He has likewise threatened punitive measures against President Maduro, accusing him of participating in drug trafficking activities.
For several months, Trump has intensified US military engagement across Latin America, dispatching Marines, naval vessels, combat aircraft, bombers, submarines and unmanned drones.
Reports indicate that the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier has entered the Caribbean as part of this intensified military presence.
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