Pam Bondi's prosecutors acknowledge Cartel de los Soles claim about Maduro was fictional

DOJ prosecutors under Pam Bondi told a New York court that 'Cartel de los Soles' is not an actual cartel, while still charging Nicolás Maduro with a drug‑trafficking conspiracy.

DOJ lawyers who worked under Pam Bondi informed a New York court that the phrase "Cartel de los Soles" does not denote an actual drug cartel. Prosecutors nonetheless filed charges accusing Nicolás Maduro of participating in a drug‑trafficking conspiracy. The revised indictment describes a patronage system and a culture of corruption tied to narcotics profits rather than naming a formal cartel. The disputed language dates back to a 2020 grand jury indictment and to prior State and Treasury designations. Known points: - DOJ prosecutors reported in court that "Cartel de los Soles" is not an actual cartel. - Prosecutors continue to charge Nicolás Maduro in New York with a drug‑trafficking conspiracy and he is in U.S. custody in the Southern District of New York. - The revised indictment characterizes Maduro's role as maintaining a patronage system and a culture of corruption fueled by narcotics proceeds, rather than leading a named cartel. - Experts say the term originated as Venezuelan media slang in the 1990s, and the DEA's annual National Drug Threat Assessment has not used the phrase. Summary: The legal filings in the New York case have been revised to remove the assertion that a formal "Cartel de los Soles" exists, while charges against Maduro for alleged drug trafficking remain. The change narrows how prosecutors describe the alleged wrongdoing. Undetermined at this time.