Marco Rubio Condemns Maduro as Leader of a Narco-Terrorist Syndicate, Rejects His Presidential Legitimacy

Marco Rubio, the United States Secretary of State, declared on Sunday that Nicolás Maduro is not the rightful president of Venezuela, but rather the head of a narco-terrorist cartel that has seized control of the nation by force. In a post on his X account, Rubio asserted, "Maduro is not the president of Venezuela nor is his regime a legitimate government. He leads the Cartel of the Suns, a narco-terrorist organization that has taken over a country."

Rubio emphasized in his message, "And he is formally accused of smuggling drugs into the United States." His statements come amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Caracas and Washington, following renewed allegations of the Venezuelan state's involvement in illegal narcotics-related activities.

Allegations Against the Cartel of the Suns

The so-called Cartel of the Suns is allegedly a criminal network composed of high-ranking Venezuelan military officials, accused by U.S. authorities of engaging in international drug trafficking under the protection of Maduro himself. Recently, the U.S. government has labeled the Cartel of the Suns as a foreign terrorist organization, citing its support for the Aragua Train and the Sinaloa Cartel.

In a statement on X, the Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs posted, "The United States has designated the Cartel of the Suns, based in Venezuela, for supporting Foreign Terrorist Organizations the Aragua Train and the Sinaloa Cartel, both designated by the U.S. as Foreign Terrorist Organizations."

U.S. Policy and Internal Criticism

Rubio has been one of the most vocal critics of the Venezuelan regime from his position in Congress and now within the Trump administration, reinforcing Washington's stance of not recognizing the chavista authority over Venezuela. The relationship between the United States and Venezuela is currently marked by tensions and contradictions.

While the Trump administration maintains its position of not acknowledging Nicolás Maduro as the legitimate president and accuses him of heading a narco-terrorist network, the White House has allowed Chevron to resume oil operations in Venezuela. This move is seen as a pragmatic effort by Washington to secure strategic energy resources, despite its official rhetoric against the chavista regime.

This decision has sparked criticism, even among conservative political circles, and has been a topic of debate among exiles and analysts. Cuban American congress members, for instance, have questioned these apparent contradictions, pointing to President Trump's selective approach, which prioritizes certain strategic areas—such as oil—while maintaining a hardline stance on other issues like immigration or drug trafficking linked to Caracas.