U.S. Designates Nicolás Maduro and Senior Venezuelan Officials as Members of a Foreign Terrorist Organization

On November 24, 2025, the Trump administration formally designated Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and key figures in his government as members of the “Cartel of the Suns,” a criminal network within Venezuela’s armed forces accused of large-scale narcotics trafficking. The designation classifies the group as a foreign terrorist organization.

The move unlocks a broader range of sanctions targeting Maduro’s personal assets, government-controlled infrastructure, and financial networks. While it does not grant automatic authority for lethal military action, it significantly expands the legal framework for potential U.S. military or special operations inside Venezuela if deemed necessary.

Administration officials said the primary goals are to choke off funding for drug trafficking and curb illegal migration to the United States, with regime change viewed as a possible secondary outcome rather than the central objective.

A senior U.S. official, speaking anonymously, said President Trump believes sustained pressure may compel Maduro to step down voluntarily, avoiding the need for direct kinetic intervention. At the same time, Trump has left the door open for diplomacy, noting last week that Maduro has expressed interest in talks and that he himself is willing to engage “at the appropriate moment.”

Xi Jinping Reaffirms China’s Unwavering Support for Nicolás Maduro as U.S. Military Pressure Intensifies

On the eve of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s 62nd birthday, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a strongly worded message of solidarity, pledging Beijing’s continued and resolute support for Caracas in the face of escalating U.S. diplomatic and military pressure.

In the letter, made public by Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry over the weekend, Xi described China and Venezuela as “close friends, dear brothers, and reliable partners.” He explicitly committed China to backing Maduro’s government in “safeguarding national sovereignty, security, dignity, and social stability.”

The Chinese leader also issued a sharp rebuke against foreign interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs—widely interpreted as a direct response to Washington’s recent designation of Maduro and senior officials as members of a terrorist organization, as well as the deployment of a substantial U.S. naval task force to the Caribbean.

“China firmly opposes any external forces meddling in Venezuela’s domestic affairs under whatever pretext,” Xi wrote, reiterating Beijing’s core principle of non-intervention.

The show of support comes as the United States has positioned nearly a dozen warships and approximately 12,000 sailors and Marines off Venezuela’s coast and in the broader Caribbean under the banner of Operation Southern Spear—a counter-narcotics and maritime security mission that Caracas and its allies have denounced as a prelude to possible military action.

Russia joined China in reaffirming its backing for Maduro. President Vladimir Putin addressed Maduro as a “dear friend” in his own birthday message and vowed to further deepen the “strategic partnership” between Moscow and Caracas. Both leaders’ letters were released simultaneously by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil.

Xi’s message aligns closely with remarks made last week by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, who condemned the U.S. operation and reiterated Beijing’s opposition to unilateral coercive measures against Venezuela.