Final Minutes? Maduro Labeled a Terrorist, Nobel

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Sunday that the Cartel de los Soles, a felony enterprise titularly led by Venezuela’s dictator Nicolás Maduro, will likely be labeled as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). 

.@StateDept intends to designate Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Headed by the illegitimate Nicolás Maduro, the group has corrupted the establishments of authorities in Venezuela and is accountable for terrorist violence carried out by and with other…

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) November 16, 2025

@StateDept  intends to designate Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Headed by the illegitimate Nicolás Maduro, the group has corrupted the establishments of authorities in Venezuela and is accountable for terrorist violence carried out by and with other designated FTOs as effectively as for trafficking medicine into the United States and Europe.

An announcement by the State Department states that the designation will take impact on November 24.

The Department of State intends to designate Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), efficient November 24, 2025. Based in Venezuela, the Cartel de los Soles is headed by Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking people of the illegitimate Maduro regime who have corrupted Venezuela’s navy, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary. Neither Maduro nor his cronies characterize Venezuela’s reputable authorities. Cartel de los Soles by and with other designated FTOs including Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel are accountable for terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere as effectively as for trafficking medicine into the United States and Europe.

So, why did Secretary of State Marco Rubio make this announcement at 5:38 p.m. on a Sunday? And why was it important enough that State posted the official bulletin around the same time?

As we all know, the U.S. has been amassing forces in the southern Caribbean and refurbishing navy bases in Puerto Rico. In phrases of navy motion, the last piece of the puzzle fell into place with the arrival of Carrier Strike Group 12, led by the plane provider USS Gerald R. Ford, in the realm of operations; see SecWar Pete Hegseth Announces ‘Operation Southern Spear’ As US Carrier Strike Group Enters the Caribbean – CrimsonState.

Items of Interest

1. As my colleague, Susie Moore, has posted on President Trump’s affirmation that talks are ongoing with Maduro; see Trump Sparks Buzz: Talks With Maduro ‘May Be Coming’ – CrimsonState.

.@POTUS on Venezuela: “We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out — but they would like to talk.” pic.twitter.com/ooeKngFUch

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 16, 2025

Curiously, that remark was only one hour after Rubio’s announcement.

2. Maduro clearly does not need to battle, but it’s unclear whether or not he’s really in charge. 

3. In retrospect, it’s curious that even though the State Department has labeled just about all Mexican cartels, as effectively as the Salvadoran-based MS-13, as FTOs, the Cartel of the Sun has been ignored until now, despite our marketing campaign of destroying their drug boats.

4. Cartel of the Sun is primarily a navy operation. It predates both Maduro and Hugo Chavez. It is intently linked with guerrillas and drug cartels in Colombia.

5. Nobel Prize Laureate and Venezuelan freedom activist María Corina Machado started broadcasting appeals to the Venezuelan armed forces to lay down their arms on Saturday.

María Corina Machado’s Urgent Call to the Venezuelan Military:

“What is going to happen is already happening. That decisive hour is imminent. Act now, at this very moment. Lower your weapons, do not attack your people, make the decision today to stand with Venezuela’s freedom… pic.twitter.com/q9MpmG7gVF

— Cartel Watch (@CartelWatchNet) November 16, 2025

“What is going to happen is already happening. That decisive hour is imminent. Act now, at this very moment. Lower your weapons, do not attack your people, make the decision today to stand with Venezuela’s freedom when the precise hour arrives. 

The worst hostages are those who are forced to carry out this barbarity. Those who obey infamous orders, ruining the lives of their own brothers. They feel guilty. They cannot look their children or their mothers in the eyes. 

The position each one of you takes will mark your life forever. History, the law and the Venezuelan people will be your judges!”

Pure Conjecture

As I’ve posted many occasions, amassing navy forces has its own logic. If the other aspect does not accede to your calls for, you either use it or you slink away, leaving an emboldened enemy behind. What you’ll be able to’t do is maintain that pressure indefinitely. I believe the last aspect of a pressure that may take away Maduro arrived with CSG 12. Maduro is in a robust spot. According to studies, he needs out, but the sticking level is that the notional substitute authorities could be led by Machado, and the navy is adamant that she is unacceptable. Without a change of authorities, Trump has no incentive to give Maduro the aircraft ticket and freedom for prosecution that he wishes. 

Saturday, Machado begins broadcasts to the Venezuelan navy asking them to put down their weapons when “the precise hour arrives.” That hour, she says, is imminent. 

Sunday, Rubio declares the Cartel of the Sun to be an FTO. This successfully criminalizes the whole higher ranks of the Venezuelan navy. Suddenly, they’re wanting at long prison phrases in very disagreeable locations, if the U.S. invades and the navy lays down its arms. Spoiler Alert: Some items of the Venezuelan Army will battle, but most will disappear. The one-week grace period offers the navy officers the flexibility to negotiate give up and not be handled as a drug cartel.

Trump popping out to say, “We may be having some discussions with Maduro, and we’ll see how that turns out — but they would like to talk,” is attention-grabbing. He did it only an hour after Rubio had announced that in a week, the Cartel of the Sun could be an FTO. He also says, “They would like to talk.” That may lead one to imagine that he’s speaking to the Venezuelan Army about a peaceable switch of energy to Machado, who says, “decisive hour is imminent.” In procurement parlance, they’ve obtained his “best and ultimate offer.“

Final Minutes?

No matter the accuracy of my conjecture, I believe the November 24 deadline offers us a date to focus on. If by that date a determination has not been made by Maduro to catch the first factor smoking out of Caracas, his turkey goes to be cooked.

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