A report indicates that the Cartel de los Soles may have its origins in the Cuban dictatorship, as Fidel Castro’s regime established the use of drug trafficking as a state strategy to weaken capitalism.
The report “Cuba, precursor del cartel de los Soles. El narcotráfico en manos del Estado”, jointly produced by the Center for a Free Cuba, the Ibero-American Alliance for Global Security, and the Spanish Association “Cuba en Transición,” reveals that the Cuban regime, involving high-ranking military officials and institutions, formed agreements with drug cartels—including the Medellín cartel—to facilitate trafficking routes to the United States.
It affirms that there is a direct connection between the Cuban regime and the emergence of the Cartel de los Soles in Venezuela, describing it as a decentralized criminal structure within the Venezuelan armed forces.
The report details how Cuba provided strategic and military assistance to Hugo Chávez and the Chavismo, facilitating Venezuela’s transformation into a criminal regime with strong ties to the FARC, which manages around 25% of the world’s cocaine production.
Historical Link Between the Cuban Regime and Drug Trafficking
The report—dated September 2025—“Cuba, precursor del cartel de los Soles. El narcotráfico en manos del Estado,” details the historical and systematic involvement of the Cuban regime in drug trafficking, presenting it as a form of unconventional warfare designed to destabilize Western democracies.
It states that Cuba was not only a pioneering actor in using drug trafficking as a state tool but also the direct precursor and architect of the criminal model later implemented in Venezuela, culminating in the creation of the Cartel de los Soles.
From the beginning of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro justified the use of drugs as a weapon against “imperialism.” Structures like the Convertible Currency Department, set up to facilitate illicit operations, enabled the Cuban regime to develop a framework involving the highest echelons of its armed forces and intelligence apparatus.
From Cuba to Venezuela
After Hugo came to power, this model was exported to Venezuela through a deep strategic alliance that allowed Cuba to infiltrate and control key sectors of the Venezuelan state, particularly military security and counterintelligence.
This led to the emergence of the Cartel de los Soles, which—rather than being a traditional criminal organization—is essentially the Venezuelan state itself transformed into a decentralized drug trafficking network. High-ranking defectors and legal processes in the U.S. confirm that Cuban intelligence is crucial for protecting and managing these operations, which consolidate Venezuela as a narco-state and a vital transit point for about 24% of global cocaine.
Paradoxically, Cuba receives cooperation and aid from entities such as the European Union, despite acting as an instigator of this model. This contradicts the designations by multiple countries and the European Parliament that label the Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization.
Drug Trafficking as a Strategic Tool of the Cuban State
The report warns that the Cuban regime’s involvement in drug trafficking was not an isolated act of corruption but a deliberate and sustained state policy, conceived as a tactic of unconventional warfare.
The Ideological Justification
Fidel Castro himself articulated this strategy and provided its ideological foundation, according to testimonies from former Romanian general Ion Mihai Pacepa, who reported that Castro confided to Nicolae Ceaușescu during a visit to Havana in 1972: “Drugs can do more harm to imperialism than atomic bombs.”
Origins and Institutionalization
The ties between the Cuban hierarchy and drug trafficking trace back to the days of the Sierra Maestra struggle. After the Granma landing in 1956, Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries were protected by Crescencio Pérez, a peasant controlling marijuana crops, whom Castro made a hero of his revolution.
The Convertible Currency Department (MC) of the Interior Ministry became a neuralgic center for drug trafficking and money laundering, as confirmed by Juan Reinaldo Sánchez, Fidel Castro’s former bodyguard, who revealed the commander’s personal involvement in these operations.
Moreover, judicial evidence and testimonies from defectors demonstrate that the plot included the highest levels of power.
The Havana Cartel
Starting in the 1980s, the Cuban regime expanded its operations and forged strategic alliances with major cartels and actors in the region to consolidate routes to the United States.
The report cites Cuba’s direct relationship with leaders of the Medellín cartel, such as Pablo Escobar and Carlos Lehder. They established an agreement allowing Cuba to serve as a logistical platform for drug trafficking in exchange for funneling arms and funds to Colombian guerrilla groups, particularly the M-19.
Meanwhile, the Panamanian connection involved dictator Manuel Noriega, a key partner. During Noriega’s trial in the U.S. in 1991, it was revealed that Fidel Castro acted as an intermediary between Noriega and the Colombian cartels to set up a cocaine lab in the Darién jungle. When the lab was destroyed by Panamanian troops, Castro personally mediated the dispute.
Additionally, Juan Antonio Rodríguez Menier, a defector from Cuban intelligence, testified that Castro ordered the creation of front companies in Panama, like “Caribbean Happy Line S.A.” and “Mercurio S.A.,” to facilitate these operations.
Likewise, Carlos Lehder testified during Noriega’s trial that the Cuban government directed trafficking through Nicaragua, with the Sandinista regime of Daniel Ortega acting under Cuban orders. The Sandinista regime allowed the cartel to use government-run airstrips in exchange for millions of dollars, with Interior Secretary Federico Vaughan being the main liaison.
Sao Paulo Forum and the Connection with the FARC
When Soviet subsidies ceased and the “Special Period” began, Cuba sought new sources of foreign currency and intensified its ties with organized crime. The Sao Paulo Forum, founded in 1990 with the impetus from Castro and Lula da Silva, became a vehicle to articulate Latin America’s left.
Since then, the forum has been under suspicion for its ties to drug trafficking, largely due to the inclusion of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) as a founding member. The FARC evolved from a terrorist group into a major player in cocaine production and distribution. Evidence found on the computers of Raúl Reyes, the FARC leader killed in 2008, revealed strategic and financial ties between the guerrilla, drug trafficking, and several member governments of the Sao Paulo Forum, with alleged communication channels with Cuban agents.
Creation of “Cubazuela” and the Exportation of the Narco-State Model
Hugo Chávez’s rise to power in Venezuela in 1999 presented an unprecedented opportunity for Cuba. Castro became Chávez’s mentor, forging a close alliance.
Castro endorsed Chávez’s entry into the Sao Paulo Forum and provided strategic advice during his electoral campaign, sending 29 undercover agents to assist in intelligence, security, and IT.
This agreement laid the groundwork for the “Cubanization” of Venezuela. Venezuela sent up to 105,000 barrels of oil daily in exchange for Cuba providing doctors, teachers, and, crucially, advisors to manage strategic sectors such as ports, airports, telecommunications, public records, and national security.
In 2018, the OAS Secretary-General, Luis Almagro, estimated that at least 46,000 Cubans infiltrated the Venezuelan regime to sustain Nicolás Maduro’s power. Cuban intelligence took on a decisive role in Venezuelan military counterintelligence and control over the armed forces.
Cartel de los Soles: The Realization of the Cuban Model in Venezuela
The Cartel de los Soles highlights the infiltration of organized crime into the institutions of the Venezuelan state. It is not a traditional cartel; rather, it is a decentralized criminal web merging with the structure of the state.
It emerged in 1993 when two generals were investigated for drug trafficking. Under Chávez, participation extended from the army and National Guard to all components of the Armed Forces (FANB), as well as institutions like PDVSA. The military transitioned from accepting bribes to actively participating in drug trafficking logistics.
The report is categorical in stating that “There can be no link between drug trafficking and the armed forces without the knowledge and approval of Cuba.”
Leamsy Salazar, former head of security for Chávez and Diosdado Cabello, stated in the U.S. that the Cuban government protects drug trafficking routes from Venezuela.
Hugo “El Pollo” Carvajal, the former head of military intelligence, emphasized that Cuban intelligence leads and controls the most sensitive operations of the Venezuelan state, including drug trafficking protection.
Evidence, Magnitude, and Key Actors
The transformation of Venezuela into a platform for global drug trafficking is supported by data and legal processes.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports that at least 24% of the world’s cocaine production transits through Venezuela.
The strategic geographical location of Venezuela (with a 2,200 km border with Colombia and access to the Caribbean) and political decisions like Chávez’s expulsion of the DEA from Venezuela in 2005 further facilitate this.
The Colombian Plan pushed the FARC and ELN to seek refuge and operational bases in Venezuelan border states, with the protection of the chavista government.
Main Implicated Actors
CategoryKey Individuals/GroupsDescriptionState OfficialsHugo “El Pollo” Carvajal, Cliver AlcaláFormer intelligence and military heads convicted in the U.S. for narco-terrorism and support for the FARC.Presidential EnvironmentEfraín Campo Flores, Franqui Flores de Freitas“Drug nephews” of First Lady Cilia Flores, sentenced to 18 years in prison in New York.Economic OperatorsÁlex SaabPrimary frontman for Nicolás Maduro, accused in the U.S. of large-scale money laundering.High LeadershipNicolás Maduro, Diosdado CabelloAccused by the U.S. Department of Justice of “narco-terrorism” for conspiring with the FARC.
International Context and Conclusions
The report reveals that evidence has led to growing international condemnation, albeit with divergent political responses.
Designation as a Terrorist Organization:
Six countries (the United States, Ecuador, Paraguay, Argentina, Peru, and the Dominican Republic) have officially designated the Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization. The European Parliament and the Spanish Congress urge the European Union to do the same.
The Paradox of Foreign Policy:
Despite these designations and that Cuba is labeled as the architect of the Venezuelan narco-state, the report emphasizes that the European Commission and the Spanish government have increased cooperation and aid to the Cuban dictatorship.
Strategic Alliances:
The Maduro regime, supported by Cuban intelligence, has strengthened its alliances with other global actors. Cuba, in turn, operates as one of Russia’s most loyal allies and facilitates the recruitment of up to 20,000 Cubans for the invasion of Ukraine since 2022.