The Trump Administration's recent designation of Venezuela's "Cartel de los Soles" as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) has raised eyebrows among experts. The move comes as part of an escalating campaign by the US to force President Nicolás Maduro from power, but it also blurs the lines between terrorism and other forms of organized crime.
The FTO designation brings with it a range of penalties, including economic sanctions and visa bans, but it does not authorize military action. However, Trump has used this designation in the past to lay the groundwork for military strikes against targets on Venezuelan soil, or even against Maduro himself. This could be seen as an attempt to dress up regime change under the guise of counterterrorism and counternarcotics.
Critics argue that the administration's use of the term "narcoterrorism" is misleading and can distract from efforts to address the root causes of drug addiction in America, such as demand reduction. The designation of groups involved in international organized crime as terrorist organizations also raises questions about the administration's priorities and its approach to national security.
The move has also been seen as part of a broader shift in the US definition of terrorism. Unlike previous administrations, which focused on fighting groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS, the Trump Administration is using the label "terrorism" more broadly to describe a range of threats, including Latin American organized crime groups and European left-wing extremist organizations.
The irony is that this new approach comes as the US has largely turned the page from the post-9/11 War on Terrorism. The days when bombing terrorist groups was a top priority are long gone, but the use of the term "terrorism" remains a useful tool for the administration to apply to its enemies, foreign and domestic.
The designation of Cartel de los Soles is just the latest example of the Trump Administration's aggressive approach to counterterrorism. As Brian Finucane, a former State Department legal adviser, noted, "We're in legal la-la land."
The FTO designation brings with it a range of penalties, including economic sanctions and visa bans, but it does not authorize military action. However, Trump has used this designation in the past to lay the groundwork for military strikes against targets on Venezuelan soil, or even against Maduro himself. This could be seen as an attempt to dress up regime change under the guise of counterterrorism and counternarcotics.
Critics argue that the administration's use of the term "narcoterrorism" is misleading and can distract from efforts to address the root causes of drug addiction in America, such as demand reduction. The designation of groups involved in international organized crime as terrorist organizations also raises questions about the administration's priorities and its approach to national security.
The move has also been seen as part of a broader shift in the US definition of terrorism. Unlike previous administrations, which focused on fighting groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS, the Trump Administration is using the label "terrorism" more broadly to describe a range of threats, including Latin American organized crime groups and European left-wing extremist organizations.
The irony is that this new approach comes as the US has largely turned the page from the post-9/11 War on Terrorism. The days when bombing terrorist groups was a top priority are long gone, but the use of the term "terrorism" remains a useful tool for the administration to apply to its enemies, foreign and domestic.
The designation of Cartel de los Soles is just the latest example of the Trump Administration's aggressive approach to counterterrorism. As Brian Finucane, a former State Department legal adviser, noted, "We're in legal la-la land."
. I mean, think about it - we're basically using the same tactics that got us into this mess in the first place to try and fix it... it just doesn't add up 
. I get that they want to take down Maduro's regime, but do we really need to be labeling every single group involved in organized crime as a terrorist organization? 
It starts to feel like we're losing sight of what's really important here - the people of Venezuela deserve our help and support, not some watered-down version of 'counterterrorism' 
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This whole thing with Venezuela and the FTO designation is wild 
! I mean, come on, Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization? 
. And don't even get me started on the 'narcoterrorism' thing 
It's like they're just making stuff up as they go along 
. I mean, if we can't even agree on what terrorism looks like, how are we supposed to deal with it effectively? 
... and also low-key terrified 
. Either way, one thing's for sure: the US is definitely keeping it interesting these days 
... but whats up w/ this narco-terrorism thingy? it sounds like a bunch of hooey to me 
... and dont even get me started on the economic sanctions 
... thats just gonna hurt innocent venezuelans more than any cartels 
... & btw, what r they even trying 2 achieve w/ dis FTO designation? 
It's a total misnomer. They're trying to legitimize regime change in Venezuela by slapping this terrorist label on them, and it's so transparent. I mean, what's next? Calling the border patrol "terrorists" for stopping people from crossing? 
. I think it's a pretty sneaky way to justify military action without having to technically do it, you know? And what's with the term "narcoterrorism"? Is that even a thing? 
. That's just not how we define terrorism. And what about the impact on our own counter-narcotics efforts? Is this move going to distract from addressing demand reduction and other effective strategies?
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. I mean, come on, what's next? Are they gonna start calling all the cartels in Mexico and Central America terrorists too?! 
. we need to focus on actual root causes of organized crime rather than just slapping a label on them 
I mean, come on, it's just a label, but the impact is real. They're basically trying to justify regime change by saying they're fighting terrorism. Like, if you put a label on something that doesn't necessarily fit the bill, does that make it true? 
newsflash: using labels like "narcoterrorism" is just a fancy way of saying "we dont know what else to do" 
. Meanwhile, the real villains – poverty and inequality – just keep on getting ignored