> At a Glance
> – Nicolás Maduro was arraigned in NYC on Jan. 5 on drug and weapons charges
> – The 2025 indictment calls Cartel de Los Soles a “patronage system,” not a drug cartel
> – A 2020 Trump-era filing had labeled it a cocaine cartel 32 times
> – Why it matters: Language shift signals prosecutors may doubt they can prove cartel claims in court
Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared in a New York federal courtroom Monday, Jan. 5, to face U.S. charges, but prosecutors quietly walked back earlier claims that he led a full-blown drug cartel.
From Cartel to Patronage System
The Department of Justice’s new 2025 indictment accuses Maduro of heading “a patronage system run by those at the top-referred to as the Cartel de Los Soles,” referencing the sun insignia on Venezuelan military uniforms.
That wording is far softer than the 2020 indictment drafted during Trump’s first term, which named Cartel de Los Soles 32 times and described it as:
- “a Venezuelan drug-trafficking organization”
- Comprised of high-ranking officials who
- “Facilitated the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States”
A Slang Term, Not a Syndicate
Elizabeth Dickinson, deputy director for Latin America at the International Crisis Group, told The New York Times that “Cartel de los Soles” originated as 1990s Venezuelan media slang for officials corrupted by drug money.
> “I think the new indictment gets it right, but the designations are still far from reality,” Dickinson said after the arraignment. “Designations don’t have to be proved in court, and that’s the difference. Clearly, they knew they could not prove it in court.”
Mixed Administration Signals
Despite the toned-down language, some Trump officials keep using the old label.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Meet the Press on Jan. 4:
> “We will continue to reserve the right to take strikes against drug boats… operated by transnational criminal organizations, including the Cartel de los Soles. Of course, their leader… is now in U.S. custody… Nicolás Maduro.”
Charges and Pleas
Maduro, captured by U.S. forces in Caracas and flown to New York, pleaded not guilty to four counts:
- Narco-terrorism conspiracy
- Cocaine importation conspiracy
- Possession of machine guns and destructive devices
- Conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices
Cilia Flores, Maduro’s wife, also pleaded not guilty to related drug and weapons charges.
Timeline of Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Jan. 3 | Trump announces Maduro’s capture and U.S. strike on Caracas |
| Jan. 4 | Rubio calls Cartel de Los Soles a transnational criminal group |
| Jan. 5 | Maduro arraigned in NYC federal court |
> “I am a decent man. I am still the president of my country,” Maduro said through an interpreter. “I consider myself a prisoner of war.”
Key Takeaways
- DOJ now frames Cartel de Los Soles as a patronage network, not a cocaine cartel
- Language shift may reflect prosecution concerns about proving cartel structure
- Trump officials remain split on how to describe the group publicly
- Maduro and Flores face trial on drug-terror and weapons charges
The softened wording could signal strategic caution as prosecutors prepare to convince a jury the Venezuelan leader orchestrated drug shipments to the United States.
