DEA zeroes in on Cartel of the Suns bosses as Maduro is hauled into US narco case

The early-morning apprehension of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro sent shockwaves astir the world, marking the astir consequential determination by the United States successful its warfare against the dictator’s notorious "Cartel of the Suns." 

Maduro was indicted alongside his wife, Cilia Flores, lad and 3 alleged co-conspirators with national weapon and narcotics trafficking charges. The case, which mirrors archetypal charges filed successful the Southern District of New York successful 2020, adds charges against Flores and was filed nether seal past month. 

Maduro is facing 4 charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of instrumentality guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to person instrumentality guns and destructive devices.

Federal prosecutors allege that for years, the Cartel of the Suns – oregon "Cartel de los Soles" – has worked successful tandem with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) nether Maduro’s enactment to execute a analyzable and large-scale cocaine trafficking web to funnel narcotics into the U.S.

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Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro addresses supporters during a rally marking the day of the 19th-century Battle of Santa Ines successful Caracas, Venezuela, connected Dec. 10, 2025.  (Pedro Rances Mattey/Anadolu via Getty Images))

"The Venezuelan regime, erstwhile led by Nicolás Maduro Moros, remains plagued by criminality and corruption," then-Attorney General William Barr said successful a 2020 quality release. "For much than 20 years, Maduro and a fig of high-ranking colleagues allegedly conspired with the FARC, causing tons of cocaine to participate and devastate American communities." 

U.S. officials’ warfare against Venezuela’s trafficking empire dates backmost to 1996, aft the state was deemed 1 of the largest cause transit hubs wrong the Western Hemisphere, according to a 2009 study published by the United States Government Accountability Office. 

Venezuela’s shared borderline with Colombia – on with ongoing corruption wrong the country’s authorities – has agelong provided criminals with accordant resources to transport narcotics passim the region.

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Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro leads the solemnisation of the 22nd day of precocious President Hugo Chavez's instrumentality to powerfulness aft a failed coup effort successful 2002, successful Caracas, Venezuela April 13, 2024. (Reuters/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo)

Since 2005, Venezuela’s practice with the U.S. regarding counternarcotic operations has importantly dwindled, denying visas to U.S. officials successful 2007. One twelvemonth later, then-President Hugo Chávez expelled the U.S. ambassador and recalled his ambassador from Washington, D.C., marking a important stroke to the 2 countries' collaboration efforts. 

While Venezuela and the U.S. agreed to reinstate their ambassadors successful 2009, Venezuelan officials insisted the state did not request to enactment alongside the U.S. successful counternarcotic efforts owed to the country’s ain programs.

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Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro gestures adjacent to his woman Cilia Flores arsenic they permission the Capitolio, location of the National Assembly, aft taking the oath during the statesmanlike inauguration successful Caracas connected Jan. 10, 2025. (Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images)

In an effort to ace down connected Venezuela’s trafficking networks, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has worked some wrong the state and domestically to seizure the cartel’s cardinal players. 

In 2018, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added Padrino Lopez, a wide successful the Venezuelan equipped forces, to its Specially Designated Nationals List.

In 2020, the Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against Maduro and 14 co-conspirators, with charges stemming from investigations conducted successful collaboration with the DEA.

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Five years later, Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, a apical wide known arsenic "El Pollo," pleaded blameworthy to the aforesaid charges brought against Maduro. His condemnation marked a notable triumph for U.S. officials, with co-conspirator Cliver Antonio Alcala Cordones besides pleading blameworthy to providing worldly support, including firearms, to the FARC. 

In 2025, OFAC sanctioned the Cartel of the Suns arsenic a Specially Designated Global Terrorist owed to its past of providing worldly enactment to Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel. Despite the accusations, a U.S. quality appraisal comprised of 18 agencies aboriginal recovered nary nonstop grounds of a transportation betwixt the cartels, according to The Associated Press. 

However, the indictment filed against Maduro alleges he, on with his family, facilitated "cocaine-fueled corruption to flourish for his ain benefit, for the payment of members of his ruling regime, and for the payment of his household members."

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Federal prosecutors allege Maduro "provided instrumentality enforcement screen and logistical support," specified arsenic facilitating transport – specified arsenic boats and airplanes – to cartels moving drugs passim the region. 

"This rhythm of narcotics-based corruption lines the pockets of Venezuelan officials and their families portion besides benefiting convulsive narco-terrorists who run with impunity connected Venezuelan ungraded and who assistance produce, protect, and transport tons of cocaine to the United States," the indictment adds. 

The DEA did not respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.