Rubio rips Venezuela's Maduro as 'narco-terrorist' leader threatening US one year after disputed election

Secretary of State Marco Rubio shreds Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, calling him leader of narco-terrorist group Cartel de los Soles.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro parades in a military vehicle during celebrations for the Independence Day, in Caracas on July 5, 2025.  (JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images)

"Maduro is the leader of the designated narco-terrorist organization Cartel de Los Soles, and he is responsible for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe," Rubio continued. "Maduro, currently indicted by our nation, has corrupted Venezuela’s institutions to assist the cartel’s criminal narco-trafficking scheme into the United States."

The Justice Department charged Maduro and 14 other former and current Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking and other criminal charges in March 2020. At the start of this year, 10 days before President Donald Trump returned to office, the State Department increased its reward for information leading to Maduro's capture from $15 million to up to $25 million. 

"For years, Maduro and his cronies have manipulated Venezuela’s electoral system to maintain their illegitimate grip on power," Rubio added on Sunday. "By scheduling the municipal elections on the eve of the anniversary of the stolen July 28 presidential election, the regime once again aims to deploy the military and police to suppress the will of the Venezuelan people."

"The United States will continue working with our partners to hold accountable the corrupt, criminal and illegitimate Maduro regime. Those who steal elections and use force to grasp power undermine America’s national security interests," Rubio said. 

Maduro became the Venezuelan president in 2013, but the U.S. has not recognized his presidency since 2019. The U.S. and other countries have refused to recognize Maduro as the winner of the July 2024 Venezuelan election, citing widespread fraud. 

The mayor of the Chacao municipality, Gustavo Duque, speaks to supporters at the start of the election campaign for the municipal elections in Caracas on July 11, 2025. Elections for mayors and councilors will be held on July 27.  (JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images)

The cartel "supports Tren de Aragua in carrying out its objective of using the flood of illegal narcotics as a weapon against the United States," according to the Treasury Department. 

Bessent said on Friday that the new action "exposes the illegitimate Maduro regime’s facilitation of narco-terrorism through terrorist groups like Cartel de los Soles."

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"The Treasury Department will continue to execute on President Trump’s pledge to put America First by cracking down on violent organizations including Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel, and their facilitators, like Cartel de los Soles," he added. 

Danielle Wallace is a breaking news and politics reporter at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com and on X: @danimwallace

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