US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has vowed to designate the so-called Cartel de los Soles, a shadowy organization allegedly linked to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organization. However, experts argue that there is little evidence to support this claim.
The label was first used in the 1990s by local reporters in Venezuela to describe corrupt military officers accused of colluding with drug traffickers. Since then, it has been revived by Rubio and the US Treasury Department, which has imposed sanctions on the group, accusing them of using narcotics as a weapon against the United States.
Critics argue that this move is part of the Trump administration's broader strategy to demonize Maduro and justify military action against Venezuela. However, experts say that there is no concrete evidence to support the existence of the Cartel de los Soles or its alleged leader, Maduro.
"It's this sort of vaporous thing that floats in the ether with no domicile, no email address," said Phil Gunson, a Caracas-based analyst. "They don't have board meetings or present quarterly reports, so you can't pin them down — but you can accuse almost anyone of being part of it."
The US government's efforts to link Maduro and his allies to the cartel are seen by many as a smokescreen for their own anti-drug policies. As Alexander Aviña, a professor of Latin American history at Arizona State University, put it: "The war on drugs is not really about drugs. It's a way of extending the U.S.'s geopolitical interests and a way to hit at governments deemed to be antithetical to imperial designs."
Venezuela has never been a significant producer of cocaine, and most of its drug trade is linked to neighboring countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The US claims that Maduro's government is complicit in the trafficking of narcotics, but there is little evidence to support this claim.
The move by Rubio and the US Treasury Department has sparked concerns about the erosion of democratic institutions and human rights in Venezuela. Critics argue that the Trump administration is using its powers to undermine the Venezuelan government and justify military intervention.
"This is not hyperbole," said a recent article on The Intercept. "Court orders are being ignored, MAGA loyalists have been put in charge of the military and federal law enforcement agencies. The Department of Government Efficiency has stripped Congress of its power of the purse. News outlets that challenge Trump have been banished or put under investigation."
As the situation in Venezuela continues to deteriorate, it is essential to critically evaluate the motivations behind US policy towards the country and to hold those in power accountable for their actions.
The label was first used in the 1990s by local reporters in Venezuela to describe corrupt military officers accused of colluding with drug traffickers. Since then, it has been revived by Rubio and the US Treasury Department, which has imposed sanctions on the group, accusing them of using narcotics as a weapon against the United States.
Critics argue that this move is part of the Trump administration's broader strategy to demonize Maduro and justify military action against Venezuela. However, experts say that there is no concrete evidence to support the existence of the Cartel de los Soles or its alleged leader, Maduro.
"It's this sort of vaporous thing that floats in the ether with no domicile, no email address," said Phil Gunson, a Caracas-based analyst. "They don't have board meetings or present quarterly reports, so you can't pin them down — but you can accuse almost anyone of being part of it."
The US government's efforts to link Maduro and his allies to the cartel are seen by many as a smokescreen for their own anti-drug policies. As Alexander Aviña, a professor of Latin American history at Arizona State University, put it: "The war on drugs is not really about drugs. It's a way of extending the U.S.'s geopolitical interests and a way to hit at governments deemed to be antithetical to imperial designs."
Venezuela has never been a significant producer of cocaine, and most of its drug trade is linked to neighboring countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The US claims that Maduro's government is complicit in the trafficking of narcotics, but there is little evidence to support this claim.
The move by Rubio and the US Treasury Department has sparked concerns about the erosion of democratic institutions and human rights in Venezuela. Critics argue that the Trump administration is using its powers to undermine the Venezuelan government and justify military intervention.
"This is not hyperbole," said a recent article on The Intercept. "Court orders are being ignored, MAGA loyalists have been put in charge of the military and federal law enforcement agencies. The Department of Government Efficiency has stripped Congress of its power of the purse. News outlets that challenge Trump have been banished or put under investigation."
As the situation in Venezuela continues to deteriorate, it is essential to critically evaluate the motivations behind US policy towards the country and to hold those in power accountable for their actions.
. The whole thing feels like a smokescreen to me, trying to justify some kind of US intervention in Venezuela that's really about extending their influence and keeping their imperial designs alive 
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. I mean, Marco Rubio thinks he can just slap a label on some dodgy organization and suddenly everyone knows what's going on? Give me a break! 
Back in my day, we didn't need all this fancy nonsense to figure out who was doing what. A good ol' fashioned investigation and some tough questioning would do the trick.
. And let's not forget, most of their narcotics come from neighboring countries... it's like trying to blame Canada for all our American problems 
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. We should be focusing on finding real solutions to the problems in Venezuela, not just making stuff up to suit their agenda 
. The world needs more nuance and less knee-jerk reactions, if you ask me 
. Experts are right, we need concrete evidence before we start labeling people as foreign terrorists. It's just not fair to the Venezuelans who don't have any control over these cartels anyway 
. He's using every trick in the book to justify military intervention and undermine Venezuela's democracy. It's a classic case of regime change by proxy 
. And we can't just sit back and watch while our democracy is eroded 
. The US government needs to step up their game and provide some real evidence before we start making accusations. Otherwise, this just looks like a thinly veiled attempt to impose US interests on another country 
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And what's next? Are we gonna start labeling our own politicians as terrorists too? 
Maduro's not even the main culprit in all this - those colombian guys have been running the show for years anyway 
. We need to stop playing politics with people's lives and actually focus on finding solutions that benefit everyone 
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OMG, 1stly I'm literally shaking thinking about this... 
. I mean, if there's really no concrete evidence to back it up, then why label them as a foreign terrorist organization? 
. It's clear the real trafficking is coming from neighboring countries! 
But what I find really concerning is how this move is being used as a smokescreen for the US' anti-drug policies. Like, let's be real... 
and it's just an excuse to exert more control over Venezuela and its people! 
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