Overview
- The designation took effect on November 24 and authorizes the administration to pursue new sanctions and other measures.
- U.S. officials allege the network is a narcotrafficking group linked to drug trafficking and terrorist violence in the United States and Europe.
- Analysts from Crisis Group and InSight Crime say the evidence indicates dispersed, military-linked trafficking rather than a unified cartel with clear command.
- Court cases document Venezuelan officers’ involvement in drug crimes, including former intelligence chief Hugo Carvajal’s guilty plea in June 2025.
- The Venezuelan government denies the accusation as politically motivated, while reporting details a wider U.S. pressure campaign with force movements, covert operations and maritime strikes.