7:18Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro brandishes a Venezuelan flag during a demonstration for the inauguration of Bolivarian committees in Caracas, November 15, 2025. AFP via Getty Images
Starting Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his administration will be incorporated into the U.S. State Department's catalog of the globe's most menacing terrorist factions.
Designating Maduro as the leader of an international terrorist organization — instead of a depraved dictatorial establishment, as the U.S. government has viewed him for many years — is an extraordinary action that President Donald Trump contends endows him with the jurisdiction to act militarily within Venezuela, though certain external analysts question his justification.
The ensuing developments remain uncertain, partly because Trump hasn't articulated his desired outcome. When queried by a journalist at an Oval Office press briefing on Nov. 17 about what Maduro might do to satisfy the U.S., Trump characterized it as a "delicate" matter.
However, some specialists suggested that ousting Maduro from authority without a comprehensive strategy could engender a power void, conceivably leading to upheaval and disarray.
"Any government succeeding Maduro will either thrive or collapse based on the degree of security cooperation the United States is prepared to extend," noted Henry Ziemer, an associate fellow with the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, speaking to ABC News.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro waves a Venezuelan flag during a rally for the induction of Bolivarian committees in Caracas, November 15, 2025.AFP via Getty Images
Here are three key points regarding potential future scenarios:
Trump could deploy armed assaults inside Venezuela and compel Maduro to abscond.
Following weeks of deadly military operations against alleged narcotics vessels, the State Department communicated to Congress this week that Maduro wasn't simply a foreign dignitary but also the chieftain of "Cartel de los Soles."
Experts informed ABC News that the expression, which translates to "Cartel of the Suns," is a broad allusion to dishonest Venezuelan officials, including those implicated in the narcotics sector. The Cartel de los Soles has not been documented in the Drug Enforcement Administration's annual National Drug Threat Assessment or in the United Nation's World Drug Report.
The categorization becomes validated on Monday after a seven-day notification period to legislators, placing Maduro on the same register as terror syndicates such as al-Qaida and the Houthi insurgent faction in Yemen. Maduro refutes the charge, instead advocating for diplomacy.
Trump implied that the designation authorizes him to initiate assaults, although legal authorities informed ABC News that this assertion is questionable. According to the Congressional Research Service, the roster primarily fulfills "the function of implementing economic penalties, immigration limitations, or other sanctions to achieve law enforcement or national security objectives."
In an interview with the right-leaning One America News Network, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth affirmed that the determination was intended to grant the president wider military alternatives.
"Nothing is precluded, but nothing is automatically included," he stated.
Maduro could appease Trump, yet there's no apparent course for achieving this.
While designating Maduro as a terrorist commander, Trump also expressed his openness to negotiations. However, when asked whether Maduro could undertake any measure to persuade Trump to retreat, the president remained vague.
"You know, the question is somewhat complex," Trump remarked on Nov. 17 in the Oval Office. "I don't believe it was meant to be complicated. It's simply that, listen, he has inflicted immense damage on our nation, mainly due to drugs," and "the influx of prisoners into our country has been disastrous."
Some U.N. officials and regional experts asserted that Venezuela enables and benefits from the drug trade, but that narcotics trafficking pathways in the Caribbean primarily target Europe. They contend that the bulk of illicit substances entering the U.S. do so through Mexico and authorized points of entry.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro addresses citizens taking an oath to enlist in a state-sponsored defense network in the Petare vicinity of Caracas, Venezuela, Nov. 15, 2025.Ariana Cubillos/AP
Maduro has denied profiting from the narcotics sector.
Certain independent specialists also maintained that Trump's assertion that Venezuela is emptying its correctional facilities and dispatching individuals with mental disorders to the U.S. lacks evidentiary backing. According to the Migration Policy Institute, approximately 770,000 Venezuelan migrants reside in the United States — the overwhelming majority having arrived after fleeing Maduro's despotic regime and the persistent economic turmoil there.
Trump's ultimate objective becomes clearer when examining the broader context, according to some conservatives. The U.S. has long regarded Maduro as a source of disorder and imbalance in the region but has been reluctant to attempt to compel a transition.
"I believe our actions convey a message to leaders throughout the hemisphere regarding the U.S. taking seriously the protection of the American populace against these narcotics threats and the weaponization of these illicit and criminal endeavors," Andres Martinez-Fernandez, senior policy analyst for the Heritage Foundation's Allison Center for National Security, stated to ABC News.
"I do believe you are beginning to observe…other governments in the region adopting a more proactive stance and aligning more closely with the United States," he remarked.
US offensives could spark turmoil within Venezuela, experts caution.
David Smolansky, deputy director of international affairs for Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, informed ABC News that the exiled opposition is prepared to "provide Venezuelans with an orderly and democratic transformation."
"Our focus is on preparedness when the transition commences," he affirmed, citing the 2024 election of Edmundo Gonzalez with 67% of the vote. "We have been prepared for some time."
Nevertheless, a new Venezuelan government would inherit substantial immediate obstacles. Analysts suggested that a new administration would necessitate security, support in overhauling Venezuela's armed forces, and intelligence backing from the U.S.
President Donald Trump makes remarks during a session of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the Oval Office of the White House, November 17, 2025, in Washington.Win McNamee/Getty Images
Zeimer conveyed that a key challenge would involve convincing individuals across the Venezuelan government that their safety will be assured without Maduro. Furthermore, their assessment will hinge on the potential success of a new regime.
"Maduro is undeniably astute and adaptable," Zeimer stated. "Repeatedly, he has managed to induce the United States to negotiate and employ negotiations as a mechanism to alleviate pressure, committing to actions he has no intention of executing and clinging to power."
"I believe he is still unequivocally attempting to achieve that," he appended. "His continued presence is indicative."
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
