Will the Tren de Aragua be designated a terrorist organization but not the Cartel de los Soles?
The categorization of organizations as terrorists has profound implications for international politics, national security, and the dynamics of organized crime. In this context, the recent decision by the Trump administration to classify the Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization, while the Cartel de los Soles has not been designated as such, raises questions about the underlying motivations and geopolitical strategies involved.
While the Tren de Aragua from Venezuela is undoubtedly a high priority for the Trump administration in the overall deportation strategy, there appears to be some political dissonance regarding the Cartel de los Soles. Nicolás Maduro and Diosdado Cabello are directly responsible for hundreds of tons of cocaine shipped to the United States in conspiracy with the Colombian FARC and have pending narcoterrorism charges in the United States.
This is not a mere coincidence. In fact, the commander of U.S. Southern Command, Admiral Alvin Holsey, mentioned the Tren de Aragua only once in his statement on February 13, 2025, before the Senate Armed Forces Committee of the 119th Congress. Furthermore, there is not a single mention of the Venezuelan Cartel de los Soles in the statement.
The Venezuelan regime has managed to use the Tren de Aragua and the Cartel de los Soles as weapons to attack the United States while undermining and destabilizing the region.
The Tren de Aragua is a Venezuelan organization that has expanded its operations to several countries in Latin America, including Colombia, Brazil, and other Caribbean nations. This organization is involved in a variety of illicit activities ranging from drug and arms trafficking to extortion and kidnapping. Its decentralized structure and ability to adapt to different environments have made it a feared player within the world of organized crime.
The Cartel de los Soles
The Cartel de los Soles, for its part, has close ties to the armed forces of Venezuela and the high political leadership of the country. This cartel controls a significant portion of the drug trafficking that comes from Colombia and is directed toward the United States and Europe. The accusations against it are serious and well-documented, including the involvement of Nicolás Maduro and Diosdado Cabello in activities related to drug trafficking. Both figures have been subject to international sanctions, and the U.S. government has offered a reward of 25 million dollars for information leading to their capture, a sum similar to that offered for Osama Bin Laden.
Additionally, the Venezuelan regime faces accusations related to the homicide of Lieutenant Ronald Moreno Ojeda, made by the Chilean government. This case highlights the regime’s involvement in criminal activities that go beyond drug trafficking, including forced disappearances, human rights violations, and homicides within Venezuela.
The Interconnection Between the Tren de Aragua and the Cartel de los Soles
It is crucial to address the criminality of the Tren de Aragua in the context of the Venezuelan regime and the responsibility of its leaders, Nicolás Maduro and Diosdado Cabello. If the Trump administration considers the Tren de Aragua to be a terrorist organization, it is complicated to understand why the Cartel de los Soles does not receive the same classification, given that Maduro and Cabello are the ones who run the cartel and give orders to the Tren de Aragua for its operations.
One of the most concerning aspects is the protection that the Cartel de los Soles offers to terrorist organizations within its territory, facilitating their operation and expansion. This cartel not only harbors these groups but also establishes commercial relationships and collaborates in illicit activities. Documents have confirmed that the Cartel de los Soles provides documentation to members of terrorist groups, as well as to former members of the FARC and other armed groups.
Moreover, the Cartel de los Soles maintains drug trafficking operations in coordination with these groups and uses Venezuelan territory, with the regime’s authorization, to evade justice. It has also been shown that the Cartel delivers arms and ammunition to the Tren de Aragua, strengthening its operational capacity. In a notable case, the regime carried out a “false positive” related to the Tocorón prison, where the escape of Tren de Aragua leaders was facilitated through a tunnel built by the regime itself.
The Cartel de los Soles also provides paramilitary training at military bases in Venezuela, not only to the Tren de Aragua but also to other criminal groups and the so-called “collectives,” which act as shock forces for the regime.
Motivations of the Trump Administration
The Trump administration seeks to differentiate between actors it considers more accessible to attack without provoking significant diplomatic repercussions. The Tren de Aragua represents an easier target due to its lack of state backing. This approach fits into a broader narrative of national security in which it aims to combat organized crime that threatens regional stability. By classifying the Tren de Aragua as terrorist, the administration can justify greater intervention and collaboration with other countries in the region.
On the other hand, by not designating the Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization, the Trump administration may be attempting to exert indirect pressure on Maduro’s regime. This tactic could focus on weakening actors that could challenge the government, maintaining a balance of power that favors U.S. allies in the region.
Geopolitical Implications
The designation of the Tren de Aragua could foster greater cooperation between the United States and Latin American governments facing similar threats. However, it could also generate tensions with those governments that consider these gangs a result of social and economic instability driven by U.S. policies.
By labeling the Tren de Aragua as terrorist, there is a risk of stigmatizing entire communities that may be caught in dynamics of violence, hindering development and reconciliation efforts in the region. The designation could also provoke a violent response from both the Tren de Aragua and the Cartel de los Soles, who may unite in a context of increased external pressure, further complicating the security situation in the region.
Analysis of Trump’s Terrorist Designation
During his inauguration ceremony, Trump announced that the Foreign Enemies Act would be invoked to classify Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations. This decision is based on criteria that include being foreign groups that engage in activities threatening national security and representing a direct threat to American citizens. Designating cartels as terrorist organizations allows the Department of Justice to impose severe restrictions, such as prohibiting support and financial sanctions. However, this strategy could also complicate diplomatic relations and affect bilateral cooperation on security issues.
Issues Regarding the Status of Venezuelans and Migratory Exodus
The situation of Venezuelans who are about to lose Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is critical.
Many of these individuals face the possibility of being deported to a country mired in humanitarian and economic crisis, which increases the urgency for a solution. The responsibility for this situation lies with Maduro’s regime, which has generated unsustainable conditions that have led to a massive exodus of Venezuelans seeking safety and opportunities abroad. This problem is not new; its roots can be traced back to policies implemented since the government of Carlos Andrés Pérez when Venezuelan oil was nationalized, triggering a series of economic decisions that have severely affected the country. Chávez, as a symptom of the worsening problem, consolidated a model that led to corruption and the current economic crisis.
The implementation of technologies like DOGE (a decentralized ledger platform) could be an effective option for reviewing the immigration system. Using this tool, it would be possible to
more accurately identify individuals who pose a threat, thereby facilitating a safer and more efficient migratory process. It is not right for the Trump administration to revoke TPS from Venezuelans who are in a temporary migratory process in the United States, especially considering the critical situation in Venezuela. At the same time, there remains a reward of 25 million dollars for narcoterrorism charges against Maduro and Cabello, highlighting the contradiction in the administration’s priorities, which seems to have prioritized deportations over the root causes of the problem, which are precisely these corrupt and repressive leaders.
Recently, Pope Francis stated that humans have a universal right to migrate wherever they wish and that no one should impose borders. However, his discourse seems disconnected from practical reality, as he does not open the doors of the Vatican to those fleeing the crisis. This lack of action raises questions about the sincerity of criticisms regarding the management of migration by governments like Trump’s. Interestingly, the Pope does not criticize the conditions that create these migratory crises, a phenomenon that can be attributed to the socialist and communist policies that have governed Venezuela. It is easier to criticize the Trump administration, which had only been in power for 25 days, than to confront the roots of the problem.
Conclusion
The Trump administration’s decision to designate the Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization, while the Cartel de los Soles remains without such a label, reflects a strategic approach that seeks to maximize the effectiveness of interventions in organized crime in Latin America. The lack of designation for the Cartel de los Soles may be attributed to its close relationship with the Venezuelan government and the complexity of facing a state-backed actor. Given the crucial role that the Cartel de los Soles plays in protecting and collaborating with terrorist organizations, as well as its involvement in drug trafficking and organized crime, it is essential for U.S. policy to consider the need for a more comprehensive approach that addresses both criminal groups and the political leaders who support them. Although this tactic may offer advantages in the fight against crime, it also carries significant risks in terms of diplomatic relations and the complexity of organized crime in the region. The success of this strategy will depend on the ability of the United States to manage the internal and external repercussions of these designations.
By: William Acosta, NYPD (Ret) and Jesús Daniel Romero, USN (Ret)
Credits: The New York Times, The Washington Post, El País, BBC News, Reuters, The Guardian, Bloomberg, CNN, La Nación, El Universal, The Wall Street Journal and Al Jazeera
