Cartel of the Suns: Venezuela’s Other Major Criminal Threat
April 29, 2025
Michael McManus
In March 2025, the New York Post obtained information suggesting that the Trump administration will target the Venezuelan group “El Cártel de los Soles” (Spanish for “Cartel of the Suns”). The source stated that “It’s a big undertaking, but if successful will be historic. Anyone with blood-soaked dollars in their pocket should be worried.” FAIR correctly warned in our brief on Venezuela that both Tren de Aragua and The Cartel of the Suns were criminal actors that uncontrolled borders would allow into the U.S. This appears to have been confirmed.
The Cartel of the Suns is reported to be forming alliances with Mexican cartels, whose criminal activities in human trafficking and drug smuggling have caused tremendous challenges for U.S. law enforcement and public safety. While the State Department has listed several cartels as terrorist groups, including several Mexican cartels and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, the Cartel of the Suns was not present on this list. Terror group or not, their potential threat to the U.S. cannot be ignored.
The Cartel of the Suns derives its name from the sun emblems that Venezuelan military officers wear. These insignias are consistent with observations that the group is run by senior Venezuelan government and army officials. With this official patronage, it can pursue a range of activities free of official interference, such as cocaine smuggling, weapons trafficking, and selling contraband minerals. Government patronage shields senior figures in the organization from prosecution, helping to ensure the group’s loyalty to the state. Venezuela’s government is deeply hostile to the U.S., an important fact to consider.
https://www.fairus.org/blog/2025/04/29/cartel-suns-venezuela
