The designation of the Cartel of the Suns as a terrorist organization and the financial actions against the president of Venezuela are a step in the right direction.
Washington is calling a spade a spade. The recent inclusion of the Cartel de los Soles on the US list of terrorist organizations is a decisive step toward recognizing the true nature of Nicolás Maduro’s regime: it is not a legitimate government, but a criminal organization entrenched in power.
The Cartel of the Suns, made up of high-ranking military and civilian officials loyal to Chávez, has been identified by US agencies as a key player in transnational drug trafficking, with ramifications that finance terrorist and criminal networks on several continents. Washington’s response has been forceful: offering a reward of up to $50 million for information leading to Maduro’s capture and seizing his assets and those of his associates, estimated to be worth $700 million. These measures not only hit the dictatorship’s finances but also send an unequivocal message: his crimes will not go unpunished.
Editorial cartoon by Paco Baca.
