Statement from Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez in Support of the U.S. State Department’s Decision to Designate Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization

(Miami-Dade, FL) – November 17th, 2025  — I support the U.S. Department of State’s decision to designate Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. This is a necessary and long-overdue step to confront the criminal structure led by Nicolás Maduro and the high-ranking members of his illegitimate regime.

For years, Cartel de los Soles has operated as a narco-terrorist network, working alongside groups like Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel. Their actions have destabilized the region, fueled violence, and pushed deadly drugs into communities across the United States. This is not a political debate, it is a matter of public safety and national security.

It is also clear that the influence of the Castro regime in Cuba has played a role in shaping the environment that allowed these criminal networks to grow. The long-standing alliance between Havana and Caracas has contributed to instability and repression throughout the region.

I want to thank the Secretary of State Marco Rubio for taking decisive action, and for his leadership on this issue, and also to President Donald J. Trump for standing firmly against narco-terrorism and in defense of freedom across the Western Hemisphere. The State Department’s designation strengthens America’s efforts to disrupt these networks and protect our families.

God Bless the United States of America.

Dariel Fernandez

Tax Collector, Miami-Dade County