US to label alleged Venezuelan drug cartel 'led by Maduro' as terrorist organisation

The Trump administration has said it will designate a putative Venezuelan drug cartel, allegedly led by Nicolás Maduro, as a foreign terrorist organisation, as the US sent more mixed messages over its crusade against Venezuela's authoritarian leader.

- Tom Phillips

The move to target the already proscribed group, the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns), was announced by Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, on Sunday.

"Headed by the illegitimate Nicolás Maduro, the group has corrupted the institutions of government in Venezuela and is responsible for terrorist violence conducted by and with other designated [foreign terrorist organisations] as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe," he tweeted.

The statement excited hardline adversaries of Maduro who interpreted it as proof Washington was preparing to intensify its push to force the dictator from power.

But Rubio's pronouncement was undermined when, later on Sunday, Donald Trump hinted he may be prepared to negotiate with Maduro's representatives. "We may be having some conversations with Maduro, and we'll see how that turns out. They would like to talk," he said.