“Venezuela firmly, categorically, and absolutely rejects the latest absurd and deceitful statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has labeled the Cartel de los Soles a terrorist organization as a pretext for unlawful intervention against our country,” the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said on November 24.

The U.S. designation, effective the same day, paves the way for Washington to expand pressure on President Nicolás Maduro, according to analysts. The Trump administration alleges that Maduro oversees the criminal group but has not publicly provided evidence.

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The terrorist label is part of a broader U.S. campaign to combat drug trafficking and illegal migration from Latin America into the United States. Secretary Rubio declared on November 16 that the cartel is responsible for “terrorist violence across our hemisphere.”

President Trump has said the designation allows the U.S. to strike targets inside Venezuela if necessary, though he also signaled willingness to pursue diplomatic negotiations.

Washington has bolstered its stance by deploying the world’s largest aircraft carrier and additional military assets to the Caribbean, citing anti-narcotics operations. U.S. forces have attacked at least 21 vessels suspected of carrying drugs in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in 83 deaths — yet the U.S. has not provided proof that the vessels were transporting narcotics.

Maduro has described the increased U.S. military presence in the region as “the greatest threat” to Venezuela in a century. On November 13, the Venezuelan military conducted large-scale exercises in response to what it called rising U.S. aggression.

Tensions have also impacted civil aviation. On November 22, six airlines announced the cancellation of flights to Venezuela due to safety concerns. Earlier, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) urged civilian aircraft to exercise caution when flying through Venezuelan airspace, citing deteriorating security conditions and heightened military activity.