Overview
- The State Department’s listing took effect Nov. 24 and identifies Nicolás Maduro and senior Venezuelan officials as directing a narco‑terror network that has corrupted key state institutions.
- The Foreign Terrorist Organization label criminalizes material support and facilitates sanctions and asset freezes, though legal experts note it does not by itself authorize the use of lethal force.
- U.S. naval and air assets remain surged under Operation Lanza del Sur, with more than 20 strikes on suspected drug boats since September reported to have killed roughly 83 people.
- Multiple airlines, including Iberia, TAP, Avianca, Caribbean Airlines, GOL and LATAM, suspended Venezuela routes after an FAA warning about heightened military activity and risks to civil aviation.
- Caracas condemned the U.S. move as a “vile lie,” while Reuters-cited officials said a new phase could start with covert actions, even as analysts argue the so‑called cartel is a loose network rather than a formal organization.