New Delhi, Nov. 24 -- The Cartel de los Soles, or "Cartel of the Suns," is an alleged Venezuelan criminal organization that the US government claims is led by President Nicolas Maduro and other high-ranking officials of his regime.

The term originated in the 1990s, referring to military officers who amassed wealth through drug trafficking. Over time, it has come to encompass police and government officials involved in activities such as illegal mining and fuel smuggling.

According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the group is responsible for "terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere" and for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe. The Department of State announced that the designation of the cartel as a Foreign Ter...