Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (C) reacts during an event to deliver the formal request for a National Constituent Assembly to modify the country's Constitution in Caracas, Venezuela, on May 3, 2017. Boris Vergara\/Xinhua News Agency\/PA Images<\/i><\/p>\n
There is evidence that drugs produced in
\nColombia continue to pass\u00a0freely through\u00a0Venezuela\u2019s border. Following the demobilization of the
\nRevolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), trafficking routes are now under
\nthe control of several new criminal groups. In August last year, for
\nexample, experts pointed out\u00a0that another Colombian rebel group, the Popular
\nLiberation Army (EPL), has established a presence in\u00a0Venezuela\u00a0for the first time this year. The Rastrojos,
\nonce one of Colombia\u2019s most powerful criminal groups, have also begun to emerge
\nin\u00a0Venezuela\u00a0after practically disappearing in their home
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Rastrojos have started recruiting Venezuelan The role of Venezuelans in trafficking drugs through In June, InSight Verny Troncoso, the lead prosecutor in charge of 2017 also laid bare\u00a0Venezuela\u2019s role as a base for drug flights. In May, InSight Crime<\/em> reported on a map Map showing drug trafficking routes, courtesy La Naci\u00f3n via InSightCrime<\/i><\/p>\n \u201cVenezuela, unfortunately, is now a failed state and narco \u201cVenezuela, unfortunately, is now a failed state and narco regime\u201d Mike Vigil said<\/p>\n With the support of the National Assembly, Maduro was In January, Maduro announced\u00a0a new package of security measures in which he Between April and July, the colectivos<\/em> became key actors during a wave of massive The Maduro administration\u2019s hard-line security Former DEA agent Vigil also warned that \u201cwith all the International sanctions against government officials, International sanctions against government officials, including President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, have failed to weaken the regime\u2019s power\u00a0<\/p>\n The US Treasury Department\u2019s Office of Foreign Assets Venezuelan Vice President Tareck El Aissami was El Aissami\u2019s assets and those of his business frontman Nonetheless, both individuals have continued their As vice president, El Aissami has gained more power. Following these elections, InSight Crime <\/em>wrote\u00a0<\/em>that \u201cthe real winner of the controversial vote The state of Aragua, where El Aissami served as Another wave of US sanctions came in late July 2017 amid Among the other officials sanctioned at this time was Former Prison Minister Iris Varela was also among Multiple cases have illustrated the magnitude of Militarization has been a constant feature of the The ongoing militarization of the Venezuelan state is worrying, given that the country\u2019s security forces have lost much of their legitimacy due to widespread criminal activity within their ranks<\/p>\n In July 2017, Maduro appointed Generals Carlos Osorio \u201cThe ongoing militarization of the Venezuelan state is In a March 2017 report, former judge and drug czar The trend of militarization does not bode well for the As 2017 came to an end, Maduro and those around him had Maduro and El Aissami have appointed trusted soldiers, \u00a0________<\/p>\n This article was written by\u00a0Insight Crime<\/em>\u2019s Venezuela Investigative Unit. You can read the original here\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (C) reacts during an event to deliver the formal request for a National Constituent Assembly to modify the country's Constitution in Caracas, Venezuela, on May 3, 2017. Boris Vergara\/Xinhua News Agency\/PA Images There is evidence that drugs produced in Colombia continue to pass\u00a0freely through\u00a0Venezuela\u2019s border. Following the demobilization of the Revolutionary…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1096","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1096"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1096\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1096"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1096"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1096"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nnationals and have increased their presence in\u00a0Venezuela\u201d, Insight Crime <\/em>reported in July.<\/em>\u00a0\u201cThe ongoing instability and rampant corruption in
\nthe Venezuelan security forces provides fertile ground for Colombian organized
\ncrime, and the Rastrojos have taken advantage of these dynamics.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nthe Caribbean has also grown, as observed in the Dominican Republic.
\nVenezuelans are now replacing Colombians as drug mules and speedboat operators.<\/p>\n
\nCrime <\/em>reported\u00a0<\/em>that \u201cfour out of every five speedboats arriving
\non the Dominican Republic\u2019s coasts carrying cocaine shipments now have
\nVenezuelans on board.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nnarcotic cases for the province of Santo Domingo, declared that \u201cevery week
\nsince late October 2016, officials have captured three to four Venezuelans
\narriving at the country\u2019s airports with drugs either ingested or hidden in
\nsuitcases.\u201d<\/p>\n
\npresented by Costa Rica Security Minister Gustavo Mata Vega that illustrates
\ncocaine trafficking routes through Central America. The yellow lines on the
\nmap, which indicate aerial drug trafficking routes, clearly show\u00a0that\u00a0Venezuela\u00a0is the main starting point for flights headed
\nmostly to Honduras and Mexico.<\/p>\nMaduro\u2019s \u2018Iron Fist\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nregime\u201d, Mike Vigil, a retired Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent with
\ndecades of experience in Latin America, said in August – just two days after
\nNational Assembly elections strengthened the Maduro administration\u2019s power.<\/p>\n
\nlargely able to overcome political conflicts in 2017. However, in moments when
\nthe administration appeared to be weakening, it clung to power with mano dura <\/em>– that is, iron fist repression
\nof political protests and the continuation of a controversial security initiative\u00a0known as \u201cOperation Liberation and Protection of
\nthe People\u201d (OLP). The OLP security strategy\u00a0led to more than 500 killings by security force
\nofficials, in addition to reports of torture and other human rights violations.<\/p>\n
\nproposed arming civilians in the fight against organized crime. Although no
\nevidence ever surfaced indicating that the government actually provided these
\narms, the administration has relied on armed civilians\u2019 colectivos<\/em>. The government has allowed these collectives to use
\nforce and some have participated in official security operations. The colectivos<\/em> are also known to engage in a
\nvariety of criminal activities.<\/p>\n
\nanti-government protests. They violently intervened in the protests and have
\nbeen accused of murdering several opposition protesters. As InSight Crime <\/em>reported\u00a0<\/em>in April, \u201cdespite mounting evidence of the colectivos\u2019<\/em> involvement in criminal
\nenterprises, they are becoming an essential tool for the government to maintain
\nits grip on power.\u201d<\/p>\n
\npolicies appear to have contributed to a stabilization of the political sphere
\nahead of the year\u2019s end. However, the iron fist approach has not had any
\nsignificant impact on crime reduction. In 2017, there were more than 20.000
\nhomicides, according to estimates, a figure that comes close to that of 2016,
\nwhen the Attorney General\u2019s Office registered 21.752 homicides. This represents
\na rate of 70 homicides per 100.000 citizens, one of the highest in the region.<\/p>\n
\nanarchy, with all the chaos spilling out into the street, that is going to be
\ntaken advantage of by the criminal groups there. It will definitely increase
\ndrug trafficking. And a lot of people will go into the drug trade because they
\nhave no option – \u00a0there\u2019s no jobs, no
\nmoney, no supplies.\u201d<\/p>\nSanctions lack Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nincluding President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, have failed to weaken the regime\u2019s power
\nand have helped solidify its leaders\u2019 ties to transnational crime.<\/p>\n
\nControl (OFAC) sanctioned\u00a0more than a dozen
\ncurrent and former Venezuelan officials in February and July 2017.<\/p>\n
\nperhaps the most high profile official\u00a0included on the
\nOFAC list. The US Treasury Department sanctioned\u00a0El Aissami for his alleged involvement in drug
\ntrafficking, making him the highest-level government official to be accused of
\nthis crime. He has also been implicated in a \u201ccriminal-terrorist pipeline\u201d
\nallegedly involving militant Islamists and the transfer of illicit funds and
\ndrugs to the Middle East.<\/p>\n
\nSamark L\u00f3pez Bello, were frozen by the US government, for \u201cproviding material
\nassistance, financial support, or goods, or services, in support of the
\ninternational narcotics trafficking activities of, and acting for, or on behalf
\nof, El Aissami\u201d, according to the press release announcing the sanctions.<\/p>\n
\nactivities. In fact, the sanctions did not affect\u00a0their ties to organized crime. L\u00f3pez remains in
\nthe business of importing food products for the government\u2019s nutrition program.<\/p>\n
\nDuring the October elections for governorships, El Aissami helped place several
\nof his allies at the helm of key states for drug trafficking and other criminal
\nactivities, such as Sucre and Aragua.<\/p>\n
\nseems to be organized crime, as the current administration has both supported
\nand received support from criminal elements to which it is closely tied.\u201d<\/p>\n
\ngovernor and where one of his allies was recently elected, is also the base of
\noperations for the Tren de Aragua, a heavily armed megabanda,<\/em>\u00a0a huge gang run from inside the Tocor\u00f3n prison.<\/p>\n
\npolitical protests. These sanctions included President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, whom the
\nUS Treasury Department described\u00a0as a \u201cdictator\u201d. In December, two of Maduro\u2019s
\nnephews were sentenced\u00a0to nearly two decades in prison by a US court
\nfor plotting to ship 800 kilograms of cocaine to the United States.<\/p>\n
\nN\u00e9stor Reverol, the former head of\u00a0Venezuela\u2019s anti-drug agency and a former commander of the
\nBolivarian National Guard (GNB). In August, just one day after US federal
\nprosecutors unsealed an indictment accusing Reverol of participating in a
\ntransnational cocaine trafficking network, Maduro appointed him\u00a0Interior Minister. Reverol is also one of El
\nAissami\u2019s staunchest supporters.<\/p>\n
\nthose sanctioned. Varela has been accused of helping criminal networks to
\nflourish by allowing inmates to control the country\u2019s prisons. In May,
\nVarela admitted\u00a0that she called on inmates to \u201cneutralize\u201d a
\nviolent riot in their prison that left at least 9 dead.<\/p>\n
\ncontrol exercised by inmates in the country\u2019s prisons. In an investigation\u00a0published in September, InSight Crime<\/em> described the power of the pranes<\/em>, or prison gang leaders, and their ties to organized crime: \u201cIronically
\nit seems the pranes<\/em> run a more
\nefficient government than Maduro. Justice is swift, and while food is scarce on
\nsupermarket shelves, the pranes<\/em> seem
\nable to get all the food they need\u201d.<\/p>\nExpanded military control<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nadministrations of former President Hugo Ch\u00e1vez and his successor Maduro. The
\ncurrent administration set a record by appointing 12 military officers to
\npositions as ministers, the most of any Venezuelan cabinet in the last 17
\nyears.<\/p>\n
\nZambrano, Juan de Jes\u00fas Toussaintt and Luis Motta Dom\u00ednguez to join his
\ncabinet. These generals have been accused of involvement in the trafficking of
\nfood, drugs, gold and diamonds.<\/p>\n
\nworrying, given that the country\u2019s security forces have lost much of their
\nlegitimacy due to widespread criminal activity within their ranks,\u201d InSight Crime <\/em>wrote\u00a0<\/em>following a cabinet reshuffling in June.<\/p>\n
\nMildred Camero described\u00a0the evolution of military involvement in drug
\ntrafficking and identified high-level officials allegedly participating in the
\ncriminal activity.<\/p>\n
\ncountry\u2019s high levels of violence, which include reports of human rights
\nviolations committed by security forces. As InSight
\nCrime <\/em>wrote\u00a0<\/em>in June, \u201creports indicate that the government\u2019s
\npolicy of involving military elements in the fight against crime has engendered
\nrepeated cases of extrajudicial killings.<\/p>\n
\nbecome even stronger. Vice President El Aissami, who is now one of Maduro\u2019s
\nclosest confidants, announced that his boss will run for reelection in 2018.
\nAhead of the election, Maduro has made further changes to his cabinet,
\nappointing more military officers to top positions. With the help of these
\nmilitary officials, Maduro hopes to shield himself and protect the fragile hold
\non power that has characterized his administration.<\/p>\n
\nmainly from the National Guard, to key posts. The National Guard is one of the
\nmain branches of the military allegedly involved in the Cartel of the Suns,
\nshadowy groups within the country\u2019s armed forces tied to cocaine trafficking
\nand other criminal activities such as the contraband smuggling of gas, minerals
\nand food.<\/p>\n