Cartel de los Soles is not a literal organization, according to a range of specialists in Latin American criminal and narcotics issues, from think-tank analysts to former Drug Enforcement Administration officials.

It is instead a figure of speech in Venezuela, dating back to the 1990s, for Venezuelan military officials corrupted by drug money, they say. The term, which means “Cartel of the Suns,” is a mocking invocation of the suns Venezuelan generals wear to denote their rank, like American ones wear stars.

https://archive.ph/WHBvI

 

With any luck historians may soon be able to add this to other fake pretexts for war like Remember the Maine and The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. 

I believe the current term for this is fake news ?

47 minutes ago, Jim Blue said:

I believe the current term for this is fake news ?

Well, this is par for the course for the Trump Administration. For years, counterterrorism experts have been saying that Antifa is an ideology, not an organization.

Yeah, it's not looking good.

He has already been caught on camera a few years back about their oil.

 

 

1 minute ago, save the frogs said:

Yeah, it's not looking good.

He has already been caught on camera a few years back about their oil.

 

 

Yes. Trump is so incensed about Venezuela that he gave Chevron a special permission to extract and export oil from there.

1 hour ago, Alan Zweibel said:

With any luck historians may soon be able to add this to other fake pretexts for war like Remember the Maine and The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. 

 

No, it's not that simple.

 

Maduro may not he "heading" the cartels, but there are plenty of reports saying drug cartels do exist in Venezuela. The drug cartels are at the very least being facilitated by Maduro, from what I've gathered.

 

And Maduro seems to be keeping 99% of the loot for himself and the people are living in misery there. Whether oil is part of it or not, Trump would be doing the population a favor. I'm sure if you polled the average Venezuelan, they would probably hail Trump as a hero.

 

And also the cocaine trafficking might get disrupted. And a lot of that cocaine is going to North America.

 

Although Trump's intentions may not be noble, it looks to me like it will have some positive side effects. Maduro does appear to be a scumbag dictator. He wasn't voted in. He was put there by Chavez.

 

These countries that get bombed, it's usually because they are so corrupt they refuse to play by international rules.

 

 

14 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

The drug cartels are at the very least being facilitated by Maduro, from what I've gathered.

It may be correct, but from where did you gather this?

There may be a reason that Venezuela went from being one of the richest countries in the region to one of the poorest. I wonder what that is....

War may be averted ...

 

 

The OP is More propaganda from enemies of the USA..

 

Maduro will be gone before Xmas.

10 minutes ago, stevenl said:

It may be correct, but from where did you gather this?

 

Venezuela has been called "the cocaine capital of the world".

So the govt obviously knows it's going on at the ports etc ... and does nothing to stop it.

But only 5% is going to US, apparently and 95% going to Europe.

So Trump does seem to be using drugs as an excuse.

 

2 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

Venezuela has been called "the cocaine capital of the world".

So the govt obviously knows it's going on at the ports etc ... and does nothing to stop it.

But only 5% is going to US, apparently and 95% going to Europe.

So Trump does seem to be using drugs as an excuse.

 

Who has called Venezuela the cocaine capital of the world? I think you're making that up. Although I guess you could plead that someone somewhere has said that.

2 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

Venezuela has been called "the cocaine capital of the world".

So the govt obviously knows it's going on at the ports etc ... and does nothing to stop it.

But only 5% is going to US, apparently and 95% going to Europe.

So Trump does seem to be using drugs as an excuse.

 

Thanks, but no answer to the question. Do agree with you, that drugs is just an excuse.

4 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

Venezuela has been called "the cocaine capital of the world".

So the govt obviously knows it's going on at the ports etc ... and does nothing to stop it.

But only 5% is going to US, apparently and 95% going to Europe.

So Trump does seem to be using drugs as an excuse.

 

In that case, the Europeans need to at least say "Thank You" to Big Daddy for helping them out. The Euros don't have the combat force projection ability or the cojones to do anything about the problem.

4 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Thanks, but no answer to the question. Do agree with you, that drugs is just an excuse.

Impossible to verify every source, so I won't bother posting links.

2 hours ago, Alan Zweibel said:

With any luck historians may soon be able to add this to other fake pretexts for war like Remember the Maine and The Gulf of Tonkin Incident. 

 

2 hours ago, Jim Blue said:

I believe the current term for this is fake news ?

Fits right in with the fake riots in Chicago and Portland. Much of Trumps agenda is based on bold face lies. The people are aware now though. 

 

No Kings!!

I keep reminding y'all that Venezuela has the largest oil reserves on the planet.

44 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

In that case, the Europeans need to at least say "Thank You" to Big Daddy for helping them out. The Euros don't have the combat force projection ability or the cojones to do anything about the problem.

Helping them do what? Stop or severely impact cocaine shipments? By attacking a country that's a relatively minor player? And who's going to police Venezuela to stop whatever drug trans-shipments might still occur? Obviously, the drug trafficking is just a pretext. 

48 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

But only 5% is going to US, apparently and 95% going to Europe.

How do you know? You ever been involved in a drug investigation?

 

By the way, do you think that drug boats getting blowed up in the Caribbean, in a strictly business sense, would require a change in business practices? Different method, different customer base, different product?

 

44 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

In that case, the Europeans need to at least say "Thank You" to Big Daddy for helping them out. The Euros don't have the combat force projection ability or the cojones to do anything about the problem.

Rotterdam is like Miami in the 80s. Europe will be awash in coke until Maduro is gone.

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

It may be correct, but from where did you gather this?

 

The US case against  these people is well documented. The 2020 media press release  sets out the evidence at the time; 

https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/nicol-s-maduro-moros-and-14-current-and-former-venezuelan-officials-charged-narco-terrorism

The EU, UK and Canada have had sanctions in place foryears. In response to the deterioration of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights, they imposed sanctions on Venezuela.  Canada imposed its economic measures against Venezuelan officials responsible for the current situation in Venezuela in response to grave breaches of international peace and security, gross and systematic human rights violations, and acts of significant corruption.

22 minutes ago, Alan Zweibel said:

Helping them do what? Stop or severely impact cocaine shipments? By attacking a country that's a relatively minor player? And who's going to police Venezuela to stop whatever drug trans-shipments might still occur? Obviously, the drug trafficking is just a pretext. 

Would you rather an intervention to restore the elected representatives deposed by the venezuelan dictatorship?

Just now, Yagoda said:

How do you know? You ever been involved in a drug investigation?

 

By the way, do you think that drug boats getting blowed up in the Caribbean, in a strictly business sense, would require a change in business practices? Different method, different customer base, different product?

 

Rotterdam is like Miami in the 80s. Europe will be awash in coke until Maduro is gone.

Experts in crime, drugs and Venezuela say the South American country plays a minor role in trafficking drugs that reach the U.S.

"The reality is that while Maduro’s government is an authoritarian corrupt regime, drug trafficking from Venezuela is relatively minor compared to other countries in the region such as Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico," said David Smilde, a Tulane University sociologist who studies violence in Venezuela.

Phil Gunson, senior analyst for the Andes Region at International Crisis Group, a conflict resolution think tank, said the Trump administration has conflated several situations to reach the conclusion that a cartel runs Venezuela in order to justify U.S. military action. 

https://www.politifact.com/article/2025/sep/22/Trump-Venezuela-boat-strikes-drugs-trafficking/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 

Ecuador plagued by 'narco-bananas' trafficking
As the world's leading exporter of both bananas and cocaine, the Andean country − with its poorly equipped and vulnerable ports − has become a logistical hub between producers in Colombia and Peru and consumers, particularly in Europe.

https://archive.ph/RZwnJ#selection-1845.0-1849.240

 

Despite Ecuador not producing the drug, 70% of the world's cocaine now flows through its ports, Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa says.

It is smuggled into the country from neighbouring Colombia and Peru – the world's two largest producers of cocaine.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0w4e4e00jo

 

 

2 minutes ago, Alan Zweibel said:

Experts in crime, drugs and Venezuela say the South American country plays a minor role in trafficking drugs that reach the U.S.

"The reality is that while Maduro’s government is an authoritarian corrupt regime, drug trafficking from Venezuela is relatively minor compared to other countries in the region such as Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico," said David Smilde, a Tulane University sociologist who studies violence in Venezuela.

Phil Gunson, senior analyst for the Andes Region at International Crisis Group, a conflict resolution think tank, said the Trump administration has conflated several situations to reach the conclusion that a cartel runs Venezuela in order to justify U.S. military action. 

https://www.politifact.com/article/2025/sep/22/Trump-Venezuela-boat-strikes-drugs-trafficking/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

 

Ecuador plagued by 'narco-bananas' trafficking
As the world's leading exporter of both bananas and cocaine, the Andean country − with its poorly equipped and vulnerable ports − has become a logistical hub between producers in Colombia and Peru and consumers, particularly in Europe.

https://archive.ph/RZwnJ#selection-1845.0-1849.240

 

Despite Ecuador not producing the drug, 70% of the world's cocaine now flows through its ports, Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa says.

It is smuggled into the country from neighbouring Colombia and Peru – the world's two largest producers of cocaine.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0w4e4e00jo

 

 

Yep. You have never been a part of a drug investigation thats for sure.

3 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

 

The US case against  these people is well documented. The 2020 media press release  sets out the evidence at the time; 

https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/nicol-s-maduro-moros-and-14-current-and-former-venezuelan-officials-charged-narco-terrorism

The EU, UK and Canada have had sanctions in place foryears. In response to the deterioration of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights, they imposed sanctions on Venezuela.  Canada imposed its economic measures against Venezuelan officials responsible for the current situation in Venezuela in response to grave breaches of international peace and security, gross and systematic human rights violations, and acts of significant corruption.

 

Those are charges. Not convictions. And it's instructive to see how the word terrorism has changed its meaning to accommodate drug trafficking.

No doubt that the people running Venezuela are really bad people. And no doubt some cocaine is shipped from Venezuela. But what has that got to do with the inordinate attention focused on Venezuela? Obviously the cocaine charges are pretextual.

I think if Trump is really serious about waging a war in Venezuela, he should offer to induct both of his sons so that they can go and fight on the front lines, it seems only fair. 

 

If this information about the Venezuelan cartel is coming from the Trump Administration it's likely false, like nearly everything else that comes from that rather ridiculous group of numskulls. 

2 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Yep. You have never been a part of a drug investigation thats for sure.

Which is why I cited experts. And I have no idea whether or not you've ever particiipated in a drug investigation. And I don't care. What I do know is that you've offered nothing in the way of evidence.

27 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Rotterdam is like Miami in the 80s. Europe will be awash in coke until Maduro is gone.

For the sake of argument let's say that Venezuela is the major shipper of cocaine to Europe. Why should America be using its military assets to be defending Europe from this scourge? Since it's a European problem, let them deal with it. And if they don't want to, let them suffer the consequences.

The US State Department and the intelligence services have a history of making up stories to feed to the common folk in order to justify invading small sovereign nations and stealing their natural resources.  

1 hour ago, connda said:

The US State Department and the intelligence services have a history of making up stories to feed to the common folk in order to justify invading small sovereign nations and stealing their natural resources.  

 

Yes, but you don't see US attacking Norway for it's oil reserves.

 

I just watched another video. This country is very corrupt, Maduro was not elected, the cartels buy off government officials, the economy has gotten worse and worse under Madero, people are starving, so millions have fled the country ... to the US. The migrants has something to do with this.

 

500 K Venezuelan migrants fled to US because it's a crap corrupted country.

 

 

 

58 minutes ago, Alan Zweibel said:

Which is why I cited experts. And I have no idea whether or not you've ever particiipated in a drug investigation. And I don't care. What I do know is that you've offered nothing in the way of evidence.

People who know what they are talking about dont need others to think for them. But that matters not to you, propaganda spewer.

 

1 hour ago, Alan Zweibel said:

Which is why I cited experts. And I have no idea whether or not you've ever particiipated in a drug investigation. And I don't care. What I do know is that you've offered nothing in the way of evidence.

Why would anyone care to even discuss the matter with you? Boom, there goes another.

 

56 minutes ago, connda said:

The US State Department and the intelligence services have a history of making up stories to feed to the common folk in order to justify invading small sovereign nations and stealing their natural resources.  

Dont need to make up stories, if we want it, we will just take it. Like all the countries we colonize and rule with a murderous violent fist, right?