Cartel of the Suns

The Cartel of the Suns (Spanish: Cartel de los Soles) is an alleged informal criminal network deeply embedded within Venezuela's government and military institutions, primarily involved in international drug trafficking, arms smuggling, money laundering, and other illicit activities like illegal mining and gasoline smuggling. The name derives from the sun insignia worn on the epaulets of Venezuelan generals. It is not a rigidly hierarchical organization like traditional cartels (e.g., Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel) but rather a loose, fragmented network of competing cells spanning the Venezuelan Army, Navy, Air Force, and Bolivarian National Guard (GNB). These cells operate at all ranks, from low-level border guards collecting bribes to high-ranking officials coordinating large-scale operations. The network allegedly uses state resources—such as military protection, airports, and diplomatic channels—to facilitate the transit of cocaine from Colombia through Venezuela to markets in the US, Europe, and Mexico.

The US government and several international bodies describe it as a "narco-terrorist" organization led by President Nicolás Maduro and other senior Chavista (supporters of Hugo Chávez's Bolivarian Revolution) officials, who purportedly profit from drug revenues to sustain regime loyalty amid Venezuela's economic collapse. Critics, including some analysts and Venezuelan allies like Colombian President Gustavo Petro, argue it is a fictitious or exaggerated construct used by the US as a pretext for regime-change efforts, pointing to a lack of concrete evidence for a centralized cartel structure. Instead, they frame it as generalized corruption within a "mafia state" rather than an ideologically driven entity.

Origins

The term "Cartel of the Suns" first appeared in 1993 during investigations into two GNB generals—Ramón Guillén Dávila and Orlando Hernández Villegas—from the Anti-Drug National Command, who were accused of approving cocaine shipments. One shipment was reportedly authorized at the CIA's request to infiltrate Colombian cartels, though Venezuelan anti-drug commissioner Thor Halvorssen defended Guillén. Early reports from 1998 highlighted Venezuelan military personnel accepting bribes to ignore traffickers crossing from Colombia.

The network expanded under Chávez's presidency (1999–2013), as military corruption grew. Officers from Chávez's 1992 coup attempts allegedly formed a "Bolivarian Cartel" for drug profits. By 2004, journalist Mauro Marcano publicly accused GNB intelligence chief Alexis Maneiro of ties, only to be murdered later that year. Expulsion of the US DEA in 2005 turned Venezuela into a major transit hub, with military branches competing for deals with Colombian guerrillas like the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia). Seized FARC laptops in 2007 (authenticated by Interpol) revealed alleged payments to Chávez up to $300 million and requests for Venezuelan aid in acquiring missiles.

Key Members and Structure

The network's "leadership" is often described as a patronage system where top figures act as power brokers, distributing drug profits to secure loyalty rather than directly managing operations. Prominent alleged members include:

Name	Role	Allegations
Nicolás Maduro	President of Venezuela	Accused of leading the cartel, negotiating multi-ton cocaine shipments with FARC, providing weapons in exchange, and using revenues to fund unsanctioned militias. US bounty: up to $50 million (increased in 2025).
Diosdado Cabello	National Assembly President, former military officer	Alleged operational head; directed transports from FARC to the US/Europe, possibly with Cuban help; shared profits with Maduro. Sanctioned in 2018 for extortion and laundering.
Tareck El Aissami	Former Vice President	Facilitated shipments to Mexico/US; sanctioned in 2017 under the Kingpin Act, with tens of millions in assets frozen.
Hugo Carvajal	Former military intelligence head	Leader with FARC ties; surrendered to US in 2020 after a $10 million bounty, potentially to inform on others.
Néstor Reverol	GNB head	Indicted in 2016 for tipping off traffickers and releasing suspects.
Henry Rangel Silva	Former Interior Minister, GNB general	Sanctioned in 2008 for FARC drug aid; later elected governor.
Cilia Flores' relatives (e.g., adopted son, nephew)	Family of First Lady	Arrested in 2015 with 800 kg of cocaine in Haiti en route to the US.

Lower-level involvement includes GNB border guards competing for bribe-rich posts and pilots like Yazenky Lamas (extradited to US in 2019 for faking air traffic for drug flights).

Operations and Drug Trafficking

The cartel's core activity is cocaine trafficking: sourcing from FARC/dissident groups in Colombia (up to 2,500 armed personnel operating in Venezuela post-2016 peace deal), transiting via Venezuelan ports/airports/borders, and shipping onward. Military assets provide cover, including radar evasion and diplomatic pouches. Notable incidents:

• 2013 Air France Seizure: GNB members loaded 1.3 tons of cocaine in 31 suitcases onto a flight from Caracas to Paris—France's largest mainland bust.

• 2014 Valencia Arrest: GNB commander caught with 554 kg en route domestically.

• 2015 Haiti Bust: Relatives of First Lady Flores nabbed with 800 kg.

Post-2017 economic crisis, operations evolved into a loyalty mechanism: drug wealth supplements inadequate state salaries, binding military/police to the regime. Ties extend to Mexican cartels (e.g., Sinaloa), Honduran traffickers, and ELN guerrillas in Venezuela's Orinoco region. Revenues fund arms to FARC and regime militias.

Connections to Government and Military

The cartel is intertwined with the Bolivarian regime: Chávez granted military immunity for loyalty, promoting accused officers. Maduro allegedly promotes traffickers to key posts. InSight Crime's 2018 "Venezuela: A Mafia State?" report details systemic embedding, with all branches involved. FARC dissidents enjoy impunity in Venezuela, using it as a safe haven. The network sustains Chavismo by distributing spoils, turning the state into a "kleptocracy."

International Sanctions and Responses

The US has led sanctions since 2008 (e.g., Rangel Silva for FARC aid). Key escalations:

• 2017–2018: El Aissami, Cabello sanctioned.

• 2020: $15 million bounty on Maduro.

• 2025: Cartel designated a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" (July); bounty on Maduro raised to $50 million (August). Paraguay, Ecuador, Argentina, Peru, Dominican Republic, and others followed with terrorist labels.

These freeze assets and ban transactions. Skeptics note sanctions target regime figures broadly, not a proven cartel.Recent Developments (Up to October 2025)Tensions peaked in 2025 amid US "counter-narcotics" operations under President Trump:

• August: US deploys 4,500 troops and Navy warships to the southern Caribbean, targeting Suns-linked vessels; Maduro mobilizes 4.5 million militia in response.

• September–October: US strikes a drug submarine in the Caribbean, capturing an Ecuadorian survivor (later released). A US mercenary (Jordan Goudreau, of failed 2020 incursion) claimed the CIA created the cartel in the 1990s—dismissed by many as unsubstantiated.

• Ongoing: Regional pushback; Trinidad & Tobago supports anti-Suns efforts. X (formerly Twitter) discussions highlight fears of invasion, with users debating its existence and ties to Russia/Cuba. Maduro calls for "peace" while accusing the US of pretextual aggression. No major seizures directly tied to the cartel reported in late October, but US operations have disrupted regional flows. Analysts like InSight Crime warn sanctions misportray it as hierarchical, risking escalation without addressing root corruption.