As tensions between the United States and Venezuela continue to rise, Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently announced that the U.S. would soon designate the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization.

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From The Epoch Times:

The administration has alleged that the Cartel de los Soles, or Cartel of the Suns, is led by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking officials in the Venezuelan government and manages an international cocaine-smuggling operation. Maduro has denied the allegation.

The U.S. State Department will designate the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) effective Nov. 24, Secretary Marco Rubio said in a statement published on the department’s website.

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“Based in Venezuela, the Cartel de los Soles is headed by Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking individuals of the illegitimate Maduro regime who have corrupted Venezuela’s military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary,” Rubio said. “Neither Maduro nor his cronies represent Venezuela’s legitimate government.”

This move reportedly comes after the Treasury Department labeled the cartel a “specially designated global terrorist” in July, allowing the government to financially crack down on affiliated of the group in the United States. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also accused Maduro of running the group, highlighting “the illegitimate Maduro regime’s facilitation of narco-terrorism through terrorist groups like Cartel de los Soles.”

The Times notes that Secretary Rubio has the authority under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to designate the cartel as a foreign terrrorist organization. This classification will make it a crime to assist the group, and empower officials to order financial institutions to freeze access to its assets.

This move comes amid rising tension with Venezuela. The Trump administration has been striking alleged drug traffickers in the sea around Venezuela for weeks now. U.S. military presence in the region has also been building, with our largest aircraft carrier entering the Caribbean Sea over the weekend. According to the Times, U.S. officials have accused Maduro of “overseeing an international cocaine-trafficking conspiracy.”

As tensions rise, let’s pray for guidance for our military leaders, as well as for the protection of America!

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(Excerpt from The Epoch Times. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore – https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/54820003381/, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=177286633)