In the complex web of international drug trafficking, Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Sun) is one of the most controversial entities. The shadowy group is an alleged drug cartel composed of and led by high-ranking Venezuelan government officials and members of the armed forces.
Various international entities, particularly the U.S. government, have accused the group of engaging in illegal activities. However, little evidence has been provided to support these allegations so far.
It is thought that the Venezuelan government, headed by President Nicolas Maduro, coordinates the so-called Cartel de los Soles, which is involved in a wide range of criminal operations including drug trafficking and money laundering. The cartel is also said to be led by one of Venezuela’s top government officials, the newly appointed Interior Minister and Vice President of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Diosdado Cabello.
The drug cartel is also believed to be connected with illegal armed groups outside of Venezuela, including the Colombian National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas and the Italian and international mafia.
Origin of the cartel and drug trafficking in Venezuela
According to the U.S., the Cartel de los Soles dates back to the early 2000s, when Venezuela began to be targeted as an important transit country for drug trafficking to the U.S. and Europe. The name ‘Soles’ (‘suns’ in English) comes from the insignia that Venezuelan army generals and high-ranking officers wear on the epaulettes of their uniforms. The number of suns indicates an individual’s rank.
The alleged cartel was formed during the presidency of Hugo Chavez (1999-2013), during which military control over key state institutions significantly increased. Under the premise of protecting Venezuela’s sovereignty and fighting interference from abroad, drug trafficking networks were consolidated. This occurred particularly in the border regions with Colombia, close to areas controlled by Colombian guerrilla and paramilitary groups. The cartel soon started coordinating with these groups, which had been engaged in cocaine trafficking for decades.
Structure of the Cartel de los Soles drug trafficking ring
The Cartel de los Soles is not a hierarchical group with a single leader or centralized structure. Rather, it is a loose network of cells and actors from the Venezuelan government and security forces including high-ranking government officials, officers from the Armed Forces, and other key Chavista figures.
One of the most frequently mentioned alleged leaders is Diosdado Cabello. The former president of Venezuela’s National Constituent Assembly and a Chavismo strongman, Cabello is now the country’s Minister of the Interior. He is accused, along with other high-level government officials, of playing a central role in coordinating and facilitating the large-scale trafficking of drugs.
Cabello and the Venezuelan government categorically deny these accusations, claiming they are attempts by the U.S. to destabilize the country’s government. To date, no solid evidence has been provided to support the allegations against these high-profile individuals.
Cartel de los Soles: illegal activities in Venezuela
The Cartel de los Soles is allegedly involved in a wide range of criminal activities. These include coordinating the trafficking of cocaine from Colombia through Venezuela to Central America and the Caribbean, and ultimately to the U.S. and Europe. Since the military controls ports and airports, as well as clandestine routes, it is able to facilitate the safe passage of cocaine shipments and approve the flights transporting the drug to other countries.
The cartel is also involved in extortion, money laundering, and smuggling of precious minerals. These activities have allowed the clandestine organization to accumulate significant financial and logistical resources, strengthening its power within Venezuela and protecting the network from international prosecution.
The armed forces in Venezuela have closely supported the Venezuelan government for the past 25 years. The involvement of individual members, and the institution as a whole, in public companies and other State structures began during the presidency of Hugo Chavez. This increased after Maduro came to power in 2013. Today, both the armed forces and the police are closely aligned with Maduro’s much-criticized authoritarian regime.
US allegations and evidence
In recent years, the U.S. government has been one of the most insistent international actors attempting to expose the activities of the Cartel de los Soles. In March 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice filed formal charges against several high-ranking Venezuelan officials, including Maduro and Cabello. It accused them of being directly involved in the cartel’s operations, including narcoterrorism.
The U.S. bases its accusations on evidence and testimonies shared by deserters of the clan and former Venezuelan officials. The U.S. also says it has recordings, interceptions of communications, and intelligence data obtained through undercover operations that prove the Venezuelan government’s involvement in the cartel. In addition, it claims that the drug shipments it has seized in various countries have been traced back to routes controlled by the cartel.
Former General Hugo Carvajal and his double game in Venezuela
One of the most high-profile international attempts to uncover the cartel’s operations was the 2014 arrest in Aruba of General Hugo Carvajal, Venezuela’s former head of military intelligence. On the request of the U.S., Carvajal was taken into custody for drug trafficking, a move which was deemed illegal since he had a diplomatic passport. He was subsequently released and returned to Venezuela, where he received a hero’s welcome. He was considered a key member of the Clan de los Soles until 2019 when he withdrew his support for Maduro and left the country.
Carvajal spent years managing to avoid extradition to the U.S., including by living in hiding in Spain. In 2021, Spanish authorities finally arrested him. He accused the left-wing Spanish government, along with several progressive political leaders in Latin America, of being financed by Venezuela. Maduro’s government requested his extradition back to Caracas so that it could charge him for treason, amongst other crimes.
After considerable back-and-forth between the authorities of various countries, Carvajal was extradited to the U.S. in July 2023 to stand trial for drug trafficking and money laundering. He has since cooperated with authorities to expose the Venezuelan government’s involvement in the Cartel de los Soles.
Venezuela denies cartel’s existence and accuses US of defamation
The Venezuelan government has categorically denied the existence of the Cartel de los Soles and claims the accusations are part of a U.S.-led smear campaign that aims to justify military interventions and economic sanctions against Venezuela. Caracas maintains that the U.S.’ alleged evidence is unreliable and is based on testimonies that were paid for and manipulated.
Some international analysts also argue that while a drug trafficking network may well exist in Venezuela, the scale and structure of the Cartel de los Soles may be exaggerated for political reasons, particularly given ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela.
The Cartel de los Soles remains shrouded in a nebulous web of accusations, denials, and alleged evidence. While the U.S. continues to push for legal action and sanctions against the alleged members of the group, the Venezuelan government continues to reject these accusations as an attempt by the U.S. to destabilize the country. The truth about the cartel, as with many high-level drug trafficking operations, exists in a gray area of different interests and motivations.
Whatever the truth is about the Cartel de los Soles, the Venezuelan people continue to suffer the consequences of their nation’s multidimensional crisis. Beyond the activities of the alleged State-run cartel, corruption, violent political repression, international sanctions and severe economic hardship continue to plague the country, which is now weathering a new crisis following the fraudulent re-election of President Maduro last July.