In recent months, the U.S. government has intensified its accusations against Nicolás Maduro's regime in Venezuela, presenting him as a leader of the so-called Cartel of the Suns, a group alleged to be involved in drug trafficking. This follows the longstanding tensions between Washington and the Venezuelan leadership, stemming from decades of political enmity and allegations of narcotrafficking. Recent military buildups in the Caribbean signal a significant escalation in the U.S. response, drawing parallels to the invasion of Panama in 1989. Maduro's government faces threats not only from the U.S. but also from defectors who claim to expose the regime's criminal activities.