Argentina, the US, Ecuador, and Paraguay classified Maduro's group as a transnational criminal threat
Internationally, the United States had already included the Cartel of the Suns on its list of terrorist organizations. According to the Department of the Treasury, the group "has corrupted the highest political, military, and judicial spheres in Venezuela since the late 1990s to send drugs to the United States".
Washington holds Nicolás Maduro directly responsible for leading the criminal structure and, in this context, imposed financial sanctions and international restrictions.
The Cartel of the Suns, a criminal network led by Nicolás Maduro and his regime in Venezuela, has already been designated as an international terrorist organization by four countries: the United States, Ecuador, Paraguay, and, most recently, Argentina.
The joint decision reflects a political and judicial alignment regarding the fight against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime.
In the South American region, Paraguay's president, Santiago Peña, signed decree number 4465 which states: "The transnational criminal organization known as 'Cartel de los Soles' is designated as an international terrorist organization. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall endorse this decision.".
The president thus added his country to the list of nations that have adopted legal measures against the network linked to the Venezuelan Armed Forces and accused of operating under the direct orders of Nicolás Maduro.
The Paraguayan decision came just a few days after Ecuadorian president, Daniel Noboa, declared the group a terrorist entity, within the framework of the "internal armed conflict" declared at the beginning of 2024. Noboa ordered the National Intelligence Center to investigate "the possible connections of the Cartel of the Suns with the criminal network in Ecuador" and instructed coordination with international security agencies.
Argentina became the fourth country to join this line. Javier Milei's government declared the Cartel of the Suns a terrorist organization and included the network in the Public Registry of Persons and Entities Linked to Acts of Terrorism and Their Financing (RePET)
The measure was coordinated among the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Security, and the Ministry of Justice, after evaluating reports on the group's illegal activities in the region, including drug trafficking, smuggling, and illegal exploitation of natural resources.
With this measure, the country joins the United States, Ecuador, and Paraguay, who have also designated the Cartel of the Suns as a terrorist organization. From the Casa Rosada, it was emphasized that the decision "not only has a direct effect on the financing capacity of the 'Cartel of the Suns,' but also strengthens international cooperation in security and justice matters".
Additionally, the President of the Nation Javier Milei expressed himself on his official 'X' account and celebrated the measure: "ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF LIFE... End".
