The measure was announced Tuesday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which added the group to the Public Registry of Persons and Entities Linked to Acts of Terrorism and Their Financing (RePET), under the Ministry of Justice. 

This decision comes just a week after a three-day visit to Argentina by Alvin Holsey, head of the U.S. Southern Command. 

The U.S. government, led by Donald Trump, accuses Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his Interior and Justice Minister, Diosdado Cabello, of leading the organization.

According to the Argentine Foreign Ministry, the inclusion of the “Cartel of the Suns” in RePET is based on “official reports documenting transnational illegal activities, including drug trafficking, smuggling, and illegal exploitation of natural resources.” 

Registering the cartel allows for financial sanctions and operational restrictions, protecting Argentina’s financial system from being used for illicit purposes. From Argentina, Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein highlighted that the measure fulfills the country’s international commitments in the fight against terrorism and its financing. 

International context against Venezuela

The international context is heating up: according to CNN and other U.S. media outlets, the Trump administration is reportedly deploying 4,000 agents, mainly Marines, in Caribbean and Latin American waters to combat drug cartels.

On August 8, the Republican magnate announced the use of the Armed Forces against foreign cartels and increased the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture to $50 million. Washington claims the Cartel of the Suns is led by the Venezuelan president and high-ranking military officials—a claim rejected by the Maduro government. 

Regional tensions are escalating. In response to U.S. military movements, Venezuela activated the Independence 200 Plan: Active and Permanent Defensive Resistance.

This operation, led by Nicolás Maduro as commander-in-chief of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, aims to protect national sovereignty and security, with particular attention to the country’s coasts. 

Within this framework, Argentina’s stance reflects the interest of Javier Milei’s government in strengthening international cooperation on security and its strategic alignment with the United States in facing transnational threats in the region.