The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry refused to declare the United States the so-called “Sun Cartel” a terrorist organization, a decision that took effect on Monday. In a statement, he described the “new hoax” launched by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, describing the “non-existent Sun Cartel” as terrorist. He also warns that this is a maneuver to justify military intervention “under the classic American formula for regime change.”
Chavismo expects that Washington’s pressure strategy, which has already included three months of mobilization of naval and air military equipment against Venezuela, will have no results. “This new maneuver will follow the fate of the previous and repeated attacks against our country: failure,” said the statement, in which they stressed that through the “exemplary popular, police and military union” they would maintain peace in the country.
The text adds: “It is foolish for the Venezuelan government to waste part of its valuable time in government having to respond to these insults and slander. Fortunately, the Venezuelan people have become more united and cohesive than ever before, care about national life in all its dimensions and are on the right track with Christmas celebrations.”
The Maduro government urged the Trump administration to correct this “wrong policy of aggressions and threats” rejected by the people of North America themselves, which “affects the development of the peoples of the Caribbean and does nothing to contribute to a real and real fight against illicit drug trafficking.”
Months ago, Washington began a campaign against drug cartels that also targeted the Chavismo leader, Nicolas Maduro. The United States has indicated that the Venezuelan president leads the Sun Cartel, the name given for decades to Venezuelan military corruption networks that allegedly favor drug trafficking and other illicit activities. They also accuse him of links to the Tren de Aragua gang, which has allegedly invaded the country.
For its part, Venezuela categorically denies these accusations. Last July, the US Treasury Department actually imposed sanctions on the Sun Cartel and included it on the list of terrorist organizations, which implied the freezing of its assets. Now the State Department is doing so, expanding the scope of actions the Trump administration can take and further complicating the relationship between American people and businesses with Venezuela.
This designation was preceded by a warning notice from the US Air Force due to increased military activity in Venezuelan airspace, which since Saturday has prompted at least seven international airlines to cancel their flights to and from the South American country. On Monday, pages monitoring flights showed that Venezuelan territory was almost completely devoid of aircraft.