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The Government of Argentina announced on Tuesday the inclusion of the Cartel de los Soles in the Public Registry of Persons and Entities Linked to Acts of Terrorism and Their Financing (RePET), in a decision that strengthens international pressure against the Chavista leadership of Venezuela.
The measure, officially communicated by the ministries of Justice, Security, and Foreign Affairs, is based on official reports that identify the criminal group for drug trafficking, smuggling, and illegal exploitation of natural resources, as well as its links to other organized crime groups in Latin America.
"The National Government reaffirms its commitment to peace, stability, and hemispheric security, within the framework of respect for international law and applicable multilateral instruments," states the official statement released in Buenos Aires.
Scope of the measure
With the registration in the RePET, the Cartel of the Suns and its operators will be subject to financial sanctions, operational restrictions, and limitations on access to the Argentine banking system, aiming to prevent illicit funds from being channeled through local entities.
Furthermore, the decision paves the way for greater judicial and intelligence cooperation with regional and multilateral partners, particularly regarding information sharing and asset freezing.
International context
The announcement comes at a time of increasing pressure on the Nicolás Maduro regime. The United States, which already offered $50 million for the capture of the Chavista leader, has recently deployed destroyers, amphibious ships, and a nuclear submarine off the coast of Venezuela in an unprecedented drug enforcement operation.
Argentina, which in recent years has deepened its military cooperation with Washington through joint naval exercises (Gringo-Gaucho II / Southern Seas 2024 and soon UNITAS 2025), thus joins the list of countries that recognize the Cartel of the Suns as a direct threat to international security.
The decision is part of a growing international collaboration against Venezuelan organized crime. France recently announced a military reinforcement in Guadeloupe and Martinique, with new radars, surveillance drones, and naval brigades to monitor drug trafficking routes in the Caribbean, where the Cartel of the Suns plays a key role.
In the English-speaking Caribbean, the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, openly aligned herself with Washington and warned that she would cede her territory to the United States in the event of a Venezuelan aggression against Guyana, a neighboring country that has a territorial dispute with Caracas over the Esequibo.
Analysts point out that the decision made this Tuesday by the government of Javier Milei marks a shift in regional policy, as it aligns more closely with the U.S. strategy in the Caribbean and sends a clear signal against the networks of illegal financing linked to chavismo.
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