Escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela reached a new point Monday, as President Nicolás Maduro publicly dismissed U.S. pressure tactics following a recent military deployment in the Caribbean and the designation of a group allegedly linked to his government as a foreign terrorist institution. The moves signal a hardening of Washington’s stance and come amid ongoing sanctions and diplomatic efforts to pressure Maduro’s regime, while the Venezuelan opposition is together calling for his removal from power. This report details the latest developments and reactions from both governments.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro asserted Monday that his country remains “invincible” amid escalating tensions with the United States, including a recent military deployment in the Caribbean Sea and the designation of a group linked to his government as a foreign terrorist organization.
The developments signal a further hardening of Washington’s stance against Maduro’s regime, which has been under increasing pressure through sanctions and diplomatic efforts. The U.S. move to label the “Cartel de los Soles” as a terrorist group is intended to provide additional leverage in its efforts to dislodge Maduro from power.
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Maduro Photo:Maduro
“No matter what they do, how they do it, or where they do it, they will not be able to defeat Venezuela. We are invincible. They have not been able to, and never will be able to, defeat our homeland,” Maduro declared during his weekly program ‘Con Maduro+,’ broadcast on state television VTV.
He also stated that he has received widespread support “everywhere” for his country “in the face of these threats, psychological warfare, political and diplomatic attacks” from the United States.
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The Designation of the ‘Cartel de los Soles’ as a Terrorist Organization
The State Department recently confirmed the official designation of the “Cartel de los Soles” as a foreign terrorist group, a move that provides the Trump administration with additional tools to increase pressure on Maduro’s government and potentially lead to his removal from power.
U.S. authorities allege that the “Cartel de los Soles” – a name reportedly derived from the insignias worn by Venezuelan generals – is a group primarily composed of Venezuelan military officials dating back to the 1990s. Investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were not formalized until March 2020, during Donald Trump’s first term.
Nicolás Maduro president of Venezuela Photo:EFE/MIGUEL GUTIÉRREZ
The Department of Justice then formally recognized the existence of the group, which it claims is led by Maduro and Interior and Justice Minister Diosdado Cabello.
The Venezuelan government rejected the U.S. designation of the “Cartel de los Soles” as a terrorist group on Monday, calling the organization “nonexistent” and accusing the Trump administration of repeating a “vile lie” to justify potential intervention, according to a statement released by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry in Caracas.
Venezuelan Opposition Party Calls for Maduro’s ‘Immediate Departure’
The opposition party outlined nine points detailing “what the country demands” for the development of democracy and the “establishment of a National Unity Government.”
In a document published on the official X account of the ‘Primero Justicia (PJ)’ opposition party, the request to remove Nicolás Maduro from power was detailed.
The proposal included the establishment of a “National Unity Government, broad, pluralistic, and citizen-led,” to allow for the development and implementation of a “democratic transition.”
Luisa Fernanda Gutiérrez Henao
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