U.S. designates Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization

US-Venezuela Relations & Drug Trafficking - The US designated a group allegedly tied to Venezuelan President Maduro as a foreign terrorist organization, though it's considered a loosely organized network of drug traffickers [1] - The US administration claims Maduro heads the group but hasn't provided specific evidence [2] - The term "cartel de loles" originated in the 1990s, referring to corrupt military officers and officials [2] - The US military buildup in the Caribbean has resulted in over 80 deaths [3] - Maduro has dismissed the US's actions as ridiculous [4] Analysis of the Designation - This is the first time the US has designated a government as a cartel [5] - While there's evidence of Venezuelan state complicity in drug trafficking, it's not on the scale of major cartels [6][7] - Between 8% and 24% of cocaine entering the US passes through the Caribbean near Venezuela [7] - A survey indicated that 56% of people believe military action in Venezuela wouldn't stop the flow of drugs into the US [8] - The designation is largely seen as a rhetorical move to pressure Maduro and potentially incite a coup [15] Potential Implications of the Designation - The FTO designation could allow the US to target "material enablers" doing business with the Maduro regime, potentially impacting companies like Chevron [18][19] - The Trump administration might use the designation to justify military action inside Venezuela [17] - Trump is reportedly considering a phone call with Maduro [20]