1:14Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro displays a Venezuelan flag during a rally for the swearing-in of Bolivarian committees in Caracas, November 15, 2025. AFP via Getty Images
As of Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his administration will be included on the U.S. State Department’s roster of the globe’s most perilous terrorist organizations.
Designating Maduro as the leader of a foreign terrorist organization—rather than merely a corrupt dictatorial regime, as the U.S. has viewed him for years—is an extraordinary action that President Donald Trump claims empowers him to conduct strikes within Venezuela, even as some external analysts question his justification.
The subsequent course of action remains uncertain, partly because Trump has not articulated his desired outcome. When a reporter at an Oval Office press briefing on Nov. 17 inquired about what Maduro might do to appease the U.S., Trump described it as a “tricky” question.
However, some analysts indicated that ousting Maduro without a sustainable strategy could result in a power void, potentially leading to violence and disorder.
"Any government that follows Maduro will thrive or fail based on the level of security collaboration the United States is prepared to offer," stated Henry Ziemer, an associate fellow with the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in an interview with ABC News.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro gestures with a Venezuelan flag during a demonstration for the swearing-in of Bolivarian committees in Caracas, November 15, 2025. AFP via Getty Images
Here are three key points regarding what may unfold next:
Trump may initiate military actions in Venezuela, compelling Maduro to escape.
Following weeks of deadly military actions against suspected drug vessels, the State Department informed Congress this week that Maduro is not merely a foreign leader but the chief of the "Cartel de los Soles."
Experts advised ABC News that the term, which translates to "Cartel of the Suns," generally refers to corrupt Venezuelan officials, including those engaged in the drug trafficking industry. The Cartel de los Soles has not been included in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s annual National Drug Threat Assessment or in the United Nations’ World Drug Report.
The designation will become official on Monday after a seven-day notification period to lawmakers, placing Maduro on the same list as terror organizations such as al-Qaida and the Houthi rebel faction in Yemen. Maduro refutes the claims, instead advocating for diplomatic solutions.
Trump has suggested that this classification grants him the power to execute military actions, but legal experts informed ABC News that this assertion is questionable. According to the Congressional Research Service, the list mainly serves "the purpose of imposing financial sanctions, immigration restrictions, or other penalties in pursuit of law enforcement or national security goals."
In a discussion with the right-wing One America News Network, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth affirmed that the decision was aimed at providing the president with more military options.
"Nothing’s off the table, but nothing’s automatically on the table," he remarked.
Maduro may find a way to satisfy Trump, but no clear route exists for that.
While branding Maduro a terrorist leader, Trump has also expressed a willingness to engage in negotiations. However, when queried if Maduro could take any action to prompt Trump to relent, the president was vague.
"You know, the question’s a little bit tricky," Trump stated on Nov. 17 in the Oval Office. "I don't think it was meant to be tricky. It's just that, look, he's done tremendous damage to our country, primarily because of drugs," and "the release of prisoners into our country has been a disaster."
Some U.N. officials and
Sourse: abcnews.go.com