U.S. escalates campaign to oust Nicolas Maduro
Maduro and others pocketed profits from cartel, prosecutors say.
The Trump administration announces sweeping indictments of Venezuela’s president and members of his inner circle on federal drug-trafficking and related charges.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced sweeping indictments Thursday of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and some of his associates on federal drugtrafficking and related charges, in a major escalation of the U.S.-led campaign to topple Maduro and his government.
The indictments, described by Atty. Gen. William Barr at a news conference in Washington, allege that Maduro and members of his inner circle conspired with rebels from neighboring Colombia to create a vast and lucrative criminal enterprise in Venezuela “flooding” the United States with cocaine and generating billions in illicit dollars.
Maduro and his allies pocketed profits, and the rebels received weapons, prosecutors allege — all while Venezuela descended into poverty and social collapse.
“The Maduro regime is awash in corruption and criminality,” Barr said. It has “betrayed the Venezuelan people and corrupted Venezuelan institutions. While the Venezuelan people suffer, this cabal lines their pockets with drug money and proceeds of the corruption. This has to come to an end.”
The indictment naming Maduro means he would be subject to arrest if he leaves Venezuela. The U.S. State Department immediately put out a $15-million reward for information leading to his capture.
Barr would not discuss whether the administration might attempt to extradite Maduro — or extract him in a military operation. He said he expected Maduro and others charged in the multiple indictments and one complaint to be tried in U.S. courtrooms.
In the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, Maduro responded even before Barr finished speaking. It’s a conspiracy from the United States and Colombia, he railed, and “they have given the order to fill Venezuela with violence!” He said he would defend “peace and homeland” against “whatever circumstances present themselves.”
It is unusual for the U.S. government to indict a sitting president. The last time such an action was taken was the 1988 indictment of Gen. Manuel Noriega, then the powerful and corrupt leader of Panama. A year later, President George H.W. Bush ordered the invasion of Panama, and Noriega was captured and convicted on trafficking and money-laundering charges.
Although U.S. officials often draw parallels between the ways Noriega and Maduro transformed their countries into criminal havens, an invasion-and-capture scenario for Venezuela is seen as highly unlikely. Panama is a small country and at the time had a U.S. military presence tied to the Panama Canal. Venezuela by contrast is vast, and Maduro enjoys formidable military support from Russia and Cuba.
The Trump administration — propelled by hawks such as former national security advisor John Bolton — has sought for more than a year to oust Maduro as the country plunges into economic decay. But the effort has f loundered. The administration does not recognize Maduro and has thrown its support behind opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who has declared himself interim president.
The timing of the action raised questions within the foreign policy community and those who follow Venezuelan issues. It comes as Venezuela — its health system already teetering — is being overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic, which may make Maduro more open to political negotiations.
“For the first time in a long time, Maduro needs the opposition” for access to international aid to fight the pandemic, said David Smilde, a Tulane University professor who is a fellow at the Washington Office on Latin America. Indicting Maduro now will make him feel cornered and less likely to cooperate.
“This ups the pressure, but it ups Maduro’s exit price even more,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine he would not hunker down. Why negotiate now if you have an indictment hanging over your head?”
Electoral politics have long been at the core of President Trump’s focus on Venezuela, former officials say, and, with the voting seven months away in the U.S., he may be eager to topple the government in Caracas to energize conservative voters in southern Florida.
Barr said the investigation had been underway for quite some time. Prosecutors were going to announce the charges a week or so ago, he said, but held off to figure out how to manage a news conference and unveiling of charges amid social distancing requirements.
“The regime feeds at the trough, blocking supplies and help to the Venezuelan people from coming in,” he added. “This is the best way to support the Venezuelan people: to rid this country of this corrupt cabal.”
Charges were also filed against 14 other Venezuelan government officials, including the head of the supreme court and military commanders.
Special correspondent Mery Mogollon in Caracas contributed to this report.