SUMMARY
The U.S. Department of State formally designated Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The determination was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on 16 November and took effect upon publication in the Federal Register on 24 November 2025 (Public Notice 12869; 90 FR 53045). The designation stacked atop OFAC's July SDGT and exposed the group to the FTO-specific criminal prohibitions, including the ban on providing material support to the organization, immigration inadmissibility for its members, and asset-freezing under U.S. jurisdiction.
OUTCOME
The Venezuelan government rejected the designation as "ridiculous". Sanctions analysts noted that the designation, while administratively powerful, does not by itself authorize military operations. Fewer than six weeks later, U.S. forces would capture Nicolas Maduro in Caracas.
INVOLVED MEMBERS
SOURCES