Donald Trump officially designated Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, after unanimous Congressional approval accused Nicolás Maduro and Diosdado Cabello of leading narcotics trafficking and terrorist activities. The move enables US authorities to apply legal pressure and potentially pursue military actions against Maduro, supported by the ongoing deployment of thousands of US troops and advanced military hardware to the region. The Venezuelan government and allies denied the existence of Cartel de los Soles and condemned the designation as pretext for intervention, while critics in the US, like Rand Paul, warned against escalation without congressional consent.