US State Department accuses president of rigging elections in Venezuela
The United States increased this Friday (10 January 2025) the reward offered for information leading to the arrest of the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro (United Socialist Party of Venezuela, left), from US$ 15 million to US$ 25 million . In a statement, the US State Department accuses him of having rigged the country’s elections. Here is it (PDF – 70 kB, in English).
According to the US government, Maduro is associated with the Cartel of the Suns, a Venezuelan drug trafficking organization. He would have participated in illicit activities such as the narco-terrorism conspiracy with the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia).
The president of Venezuela had already been formally charged in the United States with several crimes related to drug trafficking in March 2020. The country also reinforced its refusal to recognize him as president-elect in the June 2024 election.
“Since last year’s election, Maduro and his associates have continued their repressive actions in Venezuela”said Treasury Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith.
The Venezuelan is also accused by the US Department of States of requesting assistance from the FARC to train militias that act as armed forces for the cartel. Allegations against him in the United States include narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices.
During his speech this Friday (10 January), Maduro stated that the president of Argentina, Javier Milei (La Liberad Avanza, right) and the United States believed they could “impose a president on Venezuela” in reference to the recognition of the victory of Edmundo González (Democratic Unitary Platform, center-right), opposition candidate.
