Jesús Daniel Romero, Co-Founder and Senior Fellow of the Miami Strategic Intelligence Institute for FinGurú
The hemispheric security strategy of the Trump Administration
Introduction: On July 25, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated the Cartel of the Suns as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224. This was the first time a state cartel, operating under the direct command of the military apparatus, was officially classified as a terrorist organization.
The designation occurred days after a prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Venezuela, and reports of intelligence negotiations involving former Venezuelan intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal (U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2025; Energy Analytics Institute, 2025).
Rubio's Strategic Break
Secretary of State Marco Rubio framed the designation within the context of national security:
“Maduro is the leader of the designated narco-terrorist organization Cartel of the Suns.”
This statement marked a shift from previous administrations that focused on corruption and economic sanctions. Rubio directly named Nicolás Maduro and Diosdado Cabello as terrorist leaders (Energy Analytics Institute, 2025).
Previous Accusations: Path to SDGT Designation
The legal basis for this designation dates back to March 26, 2020, when the Southern District of New York indicted Maduro, Cabello, and other high-ranking officials of the regime for narcoterrorism, conspiracy, and cocaine trafficking, in collaboration with the FARC.
The indictment indicated that they conspired to “flood the United States with cocaine” using air and maritime routes controlled by the Venezuelan military, turning drug trafficking into a strategic weapon (U.S. Department of Justice, 2020).
Cuba and Venezuela: A Strategic Axis
In January 2025, the Trump administration reaffirmed Cuba's inclusion on the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST). Cuba continues to provide safe haven to ELN guerrillas, intelligence support, and logistical backing to Maduro's repressive apparatus. This designation, along with that of the Cartel of the Suns, evidences a regional axis of repression and hybrid warfare (Energy Analytics Institute, 2025).
Regional Destabilization
The Cartel of the Suns has exported chaos beyond Venezuela:
Ecuador: Presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated in August 2023 after denouncing the cartel's presence and the connections of the Tren de Aragua with Venezuelan intelligence.
Haiti: Venezuelan arms and cocaine have strengthened gangs like G9, exacerbating the political and humanitarian collapse.
Guatemala: Cartel flights land in Petén with the protection of corrupt authorities; the Tren de Aragua operates on extortionate migration routes.
Costa Rica: Record cocaine seizures and arrests of Venezuelans confirm the country's role as a new logistical hub for the cartel (Human Rights Foundation, 2025).
Legal and Strategic Tools: Title 10 vs. Title 50
The SDGT designation allows the U.S. to apply authorities under Title 50, focused on covert operations and intelligence. This is complemented by tools from Title 10, used by SOUTHCOM and JIATF-S. The integration of both reflects a doctrinal transition: from drug control to a comprehensive anti-terrorist strategy.
Air Routes and Final Flight
My book Final Flight: Queen of Air (2023) exposed cocaine air corridors protected by the regime. These flights —originating from military runways in Zulia and Apure— operated under radar blackout and direct military protection. What was once called corruption is now legally defined as trafficking logistics linked to terrorism (Romero, 2023).
The Cartel of the Suns: A Criminal 'Trojan Horse'
My upcoming book delves into links with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), Hezbollah, and the Tren de Aragua as a paramilitary instrument. The SDGT designation confirms what has been denounced for years: the Venezuelan regime does not tolerate crime; it governs through it.
Reward Campaign: DEA Targets Maduro and Cabello
The U.S. Anti-Narcotics Reward Program offers $25 million for information leading to the capture of Nicolás Maduro Moros and Diosdado Cabello Rondón (CBS News, 2025). This is the most extensive campaign in the program's history. DEA channels have disseminated it through social media and regional media. Both are now considered narco-terrorist fugitives, not state leaders (U.S. Department of State, 2025).
Conclusion
From my experience as a U.S. naval intelligence officer and regional coordinator against drug trafficking, this is the most comprehensive pressure campaign ever deployed against Maduro's regime. Although a regime change has not been mentioned, the simultaneous activation of tools from Treasury, Justice, Defense, and Intelligence reflects a systemic attempt to isolate, prosecute, and dismantle the criminal architecture of the Venezuelan state.
References
CBS News. (2025, January 10). U.S. increases reward for Maduro to $25 million. https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/reward-for-venezuelas-maduro-increased-to-25-million/
Energy Analytics Institute. (2025, July 25). U.S. designates Cartel of the Suns for supporting U.S. designated terrorist organizations. https://energy-analytics-institute.org/2025/07/25/eai-brief-us-designates-cartel-de-los-soles-for-supporting-other-terrorist-organizations/
Energy Analytics Institute. (2025, July 27). Marco Rubio: Venezuela is the main narcotics threat to the United States. https://energy-analytics-institute.org/2025/07/27/marco-rubio-says-us-standing-with-the-venezuelan-people/
Human Rights Foundation. (2025, April 25). Maduro continues using the Tren de Aragua for transnational repression, kidnappings, and murders. https://hrf.org/latest/venezuelas-maduro-continues-to-use-tren-de-aragua-for-transnational-repression-kidnapping-assassination/
Romero, J. D. (2023). Final Flight: Queen of Air. Bravo Zulu Publishers.
U.S. Department of Justice. (2020, March 26). Nicolás Maduro Moros and 14 current and former Venezuelan officials charged with narcoterrorism, corruption, and drug trafficking. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/nicolas-maduro-moros-and-14-current-and-former-venezuelan-officials-charged-narco-terrorism
U.S. Department of State. (2025, January 8). Wanted: Nicolás Maduro and Diosdado Cabello — $25 million rewards. https://www.state.gov/wanted-narcotics-reward-program-venezuelan-targets/
U.S. Department of the Treasury. (2025, July 25). The Treasury sanctions Venezuelan cartel led by Maduro. https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2778
Lieutenant Commander Jesús D. Romero is a retired intelligence officer from the Navy and Army of the United States with 37 years of combined service. He worked on defense contracts for British Aerospace Systems and Booz Allen Hamilton and was deployed aboard the USS America in Bosnia, Iraq, and Sudan. Later, he commanded a unit of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Panama, overseeing operations in Central and South America. A bestselling Amazon author, he is a frequent expert commentator on radio, television, YouTube, and print media.
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