In a major escalation of US regime change efforts in Venezuela, the US Department of Justice announced Thursday that it is charging Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and other government officials with “narco-terrorism.” The DOJ placed a $15 million bounty on Maduro’s head, offering that money for any information that leads to his arrest, and the DEA put up a wanted poster on its website.
The allegation from the DOJ is that Maduro and his circle have worked with Colombia’s FARC group to traffic cocaine to the US, or use “cocaine as a weapon against America” as the indictment puts it. What this looks like is just another attempt at regime change in Venezuela while the world is dealing with a global pandemic.
The Trump administration has backed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido since he declared himself president back in January 2019. Guaido failed to gain the support of the people or the military of Venezuela, and over a year later, Maduro still holds power in Caracas.
Some analysts fear the indictment could be the pretext for a Panama-style invasion of Venezuela. In 1989, the US invaded Panama to take out former CIA asset Manuel Noriega under the guise of drug trafficking charges.
Since 2017, the US has instilled crippling economic sanctions on Venezuela to pressure the Maduro government. As always, US sanctions are hurting the civilian population more than the government, and with Venezuela now reporting 107 confirmed cases of coronavirus, people fear the sanctions will hamper the country’s response.
In April 2019, the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) released a report that concluded those sanctions played a role in 40,000 Venezuelan deaths from 2017-2018. The report explains how the sanctions have caused shortages of medical supplies. Alfred de Zayas, a former UN rapporteur on human rights, believes US sanctions have now played a role in around 100,000 deaths in Venezuela.
I was with him in college, he tried it, but didn’t inhale….believe me….just add the $15 mil to my virus check
How about Yemen putting up a reward for the people responsible for the murder of innocent children in their country? A lot of American names would be on that list.
But Pompass and Trump aren’t going to allow the ICC into the country and now the ICC investigators are having their families threatened. I obviously know that we’ve had presidents for years committing war crimes let’s hope there’s finally some justice for the victims.
disappointed this wasn’t the other way around.
Despicable behaviour by Washington. If only we in the civilised (non US) world had leaders of courage to stand up to such bullying.
Hey, other nations’ hands are not clean: I don’t blame you for the crimes of your government – don’t blame ordinary (admittedly stupid) Americans for the crimes of ours.
Yes, we could revolt, but so could you. Will humanity ever rid itself of the cancer known as government? Not before Christ returns to judge the earth.
He blamed the lack of courage of his leaders. And he signaled out Washington. I didn’t get the impression he was blaming “stupid” Americans.
Dude, the rest of the world’s leaders and govs. must be on the same page, since I don’t hear any protesting going on there. The UK/US/Zionist empire agendas must be OK with them. And, the rest of the people abroad are silent also, aren’t they? I mean, like, UK, Canada, Australia, France, etc. are all lap dogs, or they would turn on their masters and bite their hands that feed more death and destruction abroad.
I am ashamed that my country, Canada, has recognized Guaido as the rightful leader of Venezuela. The US exerts a lot of economic clout over Canada, since they buy over $300 billion a year of our exports, so yes, we are one of the lapdogs. We did once have a Prime Minister that stood up to the US and refused to be part of the illegal invasion of Iraq.
How much longer can the dollar last as the reserve currency, the only way the US is able to use sanctions so effectively? Other countries, China/Russia/MidEast… are getting sick of this shit. It wont be long.
Iran is doing that while European countries come before the US on their knee-pads.
Venezuela has been preparing for this since 2002 the last time Washington failed in a coup in Venezuela.
“US sanctions have now played a role in around 100,000 deaths in Venezuela.”
If the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children from sanctions, as well as at least 500,000 more deaths from the Iraq war are not enough to weigh on our leaders’ consciences, 100,000 Venezuelan deaths from sanctions is hardly going to. Why doesn’t the DOJ put a bounty on the head of the CIA?
CIA public heads are just figureheads and easily replaced.
Encouraging to know that Madeleine Albright hasn’t been forgotten. Haven’t heard that name in a while; I was a little surprised to learn that particular demon still stalks the Earth among men.
At 82, it’s likely that she will be recalled in the not-to-distant future. To hell, sitting at the right hand of her master.
Wow! I had no idea Madeleine Albright was still stalking the world among men; yet, I haven’t heard she died.
Yep, at age 82, it’s quite likely she’ll be recalled in the not-to-distant future – to Hell, sitting at the right of her master.
Plus the sanctions on North Korea and Iran. Thousands more.
Syria, Russia, Bolivia, Berma, Cuba, Columbia and maybe even Turkey.
The US government is truly evil in every sense of the word.
There is no limit for how low the US sinks.
History will judge the US as one of the top evil and despicable empires.
Hopefully mankind survives the US empire.
I look forward to the day when the evil US empire gets its well-deserved comeuppance.
“The DOJ placed a $15 million bounty on Maduro’s head, offering that money for any information that leads to his arrest”
I’m pretty sure he’s in Venezuela. Glad I could help. Can I get that reward in cash, please?
Round up a posse and go git-im!
Hilarious!!
That was classic!!!
Please call Elliott Abrams-he will be more than happy to take care of it.
It will be in your COVID rebate if you live.
We arresting drug traffickers ? Lets start with the CIA.
Evil regime in DC… There ought to be a bounty on anyone in the trump administration.
Don’t forget several previous administrations who also should have a bounty on them, especially the one that illegally invaded Iraq.
… Well OK, whats next? Congressional letters of marque and reprisal?
Ya know, Maduro is probably guilty; the CIA runs the illegal drug ops in the Americas and if they say he was one of theirs gone rogue to become an honest dictator, he probably was. (Erm, this is satire.)
Good luck pulling a Panama on Venezuela. Maduro is no Manuel Noreiga.
This looks like something found in Bolton’s waste basket after office cleaning, and for some reason someone thought it was good idea even after Bolton rejected it.
Dibs on a set of ‘Venezuela’s most wanted’ playing cards.
“Maduro is no Manuel Noreiga.”
True. Noriega went straight to fake elections and open force to retain power instead of cannibalizing his country’s economy first.
Like D.C. is cannibalizing our economy now?
Maduro is far more crude. He’s popularly elected, but no Chavez. More like the only game in town opposing U.S. imperialism.
Neither Chavez or Maduro were great economic planners.
Yep.
Was that before or after he was on our payroll?
ROFLOL. Maduro’s underground cash streams have CIA taps, whether he wants to cooperate or not.
Before he was on our payroll, he was a bus driver.
Hah. The amateur.
Shades of George W and Saddam. Get out of town by sundown, pilgrim(using best John Wayne imitation), or else!
Bet most don’t remember Trump saying he was starting a war on socialism around the world. Venezuela’s resources were what he had in mind when he made that declaration. Isn’t there some international law or UN statute making bounty hunting on heads of state illegal?
I remember that. What arrogance that Trump knows what’s best for the rest of the world; those are sovereign states and Wash. has no right to interfere in their affairs, but that’s never stopped them before, so why now??
“Isn’t there some international law or UN statute making bounty hunting on heads of state illegal?”
A. We don’t recognize him as the head of state
B. Self defense
C. Iran
B and C are auto answers.
Not since at least 1953.
This (USoA) is one effed-up sociopathic/psychopathic country.
EU Says ‘Narco-Terrorism’ charges against Maduro part of US’s pressure campaign against Venezuela.
The European Union has softened its position on the Latin American country amid the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting Caracas’ request for $5 billion in assistance from the International Monetary Fund.
This announcement will make Sec. of hate and threats, Pompeo furious.
Lets see if the cowards at the EU can hold their ground….just once
The US government is truly evil. How about countries that have been illegally invaded and bombed by the US put a bounty on the Presidents who authorized that?