The designation of the Cartel of the Suns as a specially designated global terrorist organization (SDGT) by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury is not without cause, as its ties to the Aragua Train and the Northeast Mexican cartels (Los Zetas) — also designated — form a broad network of money laundering.
This criminal entity led by Nicolás Maduro and several high-ranking officials exhibits a hybrid and sophisticated nature that has evolved beyond mere organized crime. It is an organization with significant political, military, and intelligence capabilities, capable of eroding state sovereignty and projecting influence on a global scale.
The U.S. Department of Justice emphasizes this situation, highlighting the interconnectedness of key figures in the Cartel of the Suns, such as Tareck El Aissami, and the multibillion-dollar scale of the global illicit economy that finances these networks.
Convergence of the COT and Narco-terrorism
U.S. authorities warn of the convergence between transnational criminal organizations and narco-terrorism, particularly focusing on the Cartel of the Suns (Venezuela) and Los Zetas (Mexico).
The U.S. government estimates that the Cartel of the Suns has close ties with high-ranking Venezuelan officials and is linked to Mexican cartels. Data indicate that the Venezuelan network provides money, logistics, and technology to aid criminal groups in transporting narcotics across borders.
Thus, U.S. actions aim to sever these lines of transmission and support between these transnational criminal organizations. Additionally, the interconnectedness of Los Zetas and the Cartel of the Suns has been identified as a nexus that requires addressing and dismantling.
Money Laundering as a Primary Activity
Money laundering is the main activity of the Cartel of the Suns
Money laundering stands as the primary activity of the Cartel of the Suns in conjunction with Mexican cartels. This is evidenced by the scale of operations, which in some cases are in the trillions.
The global illicit economy generates between USD 1.6 to 2.2 trillion through drug trafficking, which represents between USD 350 to 500 billion, while human trafficking generates about USD 320 billion annually.
The designated cartels have a direct line with the Venezuelan regime with Colombia and other cartels in the region. It also mentions the involvement of banks and domestic actors in the U.S. that facilitate money laundering.
The Treasury Department’s actions seek to cut the lines through which money enters, and of course, in reverse, where cocaine comes from. Investigations aim at defunding this vast money laundering operation.
Hybrid Nature of Criminal Organizations
It is crucial to understand that these are not traditional criminal organizations. They are not the typical groups from the 70s and 80s, but rather even more sophisticated and capable entities, equipped with technological, financial, and tactical resources, along with a great ability to integrate and complement their activities and objectives.
These organizations have penetrated with immense financial resources into a web of non-governmental organizations and political parties in Western countries. This leads to indoctrination, financing violent actions, and even electoral interference.
Los Zetas is an organization made up of former members of Mexican armed forces, initially acting as enforcers for the Gulf Cartel. Their sophistication, military training, and recruitment of personnel with intelligence backgrounds have made them highly effective logistical operators for other organizations now recognized in their proper dimension, including the Cartel of the Suns.
The recent designations made by the U.S. Treasury Department against leaders of Los Zetas, including Federico Rodríguez García (“Cucho”), Antonio Romero Sánchez, Francisco Daniel Esquera Nieto (“Franklin Esqueda”), and Ricardo Hernández Medrano (“Macabelisco” or “Commander Exclusive”), highlight the influence of this organization in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and Piedras Negras, as well as its penetration into the U.S. through drug trafficking, extortion, and, crucially, money laundering.
It’s important to recall the designation in 2017 of Tareck El Aissami, former Vice President of Venezuela, and his frontman Samar López Bello, in relation to Los Zetas. Since then, the development of these subjects’ criminal activities has been evident. This includes the use of funds from drug trafficking and money laundering through a network spanning the British Virgin Islands, the United Kingdom, the U.S., and Venezuela. El Aissami’s downfall is attributed to a “betrayal of the regime itself,” not as a punishment for his criminal ties.
The Infinite War and Internal Threat
Such criminal activities are part of an asymmetrical irregular war, an infinite war waged close to the domestic sphere of the United States, as recognized by the executive order of President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025.
This includes electoral interference, and training of organizations such as the Aragua Train — linked to the Cartel of the Suns — in military tactical capabilities.
These organizations with highly sophisticated intelligence and counterintelligence capabilities sometimes function as “effective governments,” as seen in Venezuela and Bolivia. The International Center for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) noted that these organizations are strategically integrated, for example, with the Islamic Republic of Iran, for the location, surveillance, neutralization, and elimination of Israeli citizens within and outside Europe and the United States.
The regime in Havana is not only a coordinator and supervisor of the Cartel of the Suns but its political arm is the regime of Nicolás Maduro, while its military arm in the United States is the Aragua Train, whose financial and operational logistics partners include Los Zetas, the Sinaloa Cartel, and Mara Salvatrucha.
This transfer of skills and sophisticated knowledge isn’t incidental but part of a well-integrated strategy by states that, alongside these criminal organizations, aim to undermine and erode the capabilities of the United States and its allies.
Challenges and Future Perspectives
The struggle is complex as criminals appear to be a step ahead of justice.
Therefore, it is not enough for the U.S. to utilize all its resources; it is essential for all affected countries to form an alliance similar to NATO, generating cooperation in investigation, legal processing, and law enforcement. The pooling of all resources from these states would prevent the transfer of these activities from one country to another.
Despite the magnitude of the challenge, some steps in the right direction are evident, as effective efforts are being made to cut off the flow of money these groups obtain from criminal activities in Venezuela, Bolivia, Mexico, Colombia, and Central America. The identification of key players in the money laundering market has made significant progress.
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