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Nicolás Maduro: US charges Venezuelan president with 'narco-terrorism' | Nicolás Maduro: US charges Venezuelan president with 'narco-terrorism' |
(about 16 hours later) | |
The US has charged Venezuela's President, Nicolás Maduro, and other senior officials in the country with "narco-terrorism". | The US has charged Venezuela's President, Nicolás Maduro, and other senior officials in the country with "narco-terrorism". |
It accused them of flooding the US with cocaine and using drugs as a weapon to undermine the health of Americans. | It accused them of flooding the US with cocaine and using drugs as a weapon to undermine the health of Americans. |
The charges were announced by Attorney General William Barr. A $15m (£12.5m) reward is being offered for information leading to Mr Maduro's arrest. | The charges were announced by Attorney General William Barr. A $15m (£12.5m) reward is being offered for information leading to Mr Maduro's arrest. |
The US move will further escalate tensions between the two nations. | The US move will further escalate tensions between the two nations. |
Washington has long accused the Venezuelan president of leading a corrupt and brutal regime, a charge he has repeatedly rejected. | Washington has long accused the Venezuelan president of leading a corrupt and brutal regime, a charge he has repeatedly rejected. |
It backs the opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who declared himself interim president last year. | It backs the opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who declared himself interim president last year. |
The new charges represent an escalation in the longstanding US pressure campaign on Mr Maduro, which also includes sweeping sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry. | The new charges represent an escalation in the longstanding US pressure campaign on Mr Maduro, which also includes sweeping sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry. |
As well as Mr Maduro, the US charged more than a dozen top Venezuelan officials. These included the country's defence minister and the supreme court's chief justice. | As well as Mr Maduro, the US charged more than a dozen top Venezuelan officials. These included the country's defence minister and the supreme court's chief justice. |
"The Venezuelan people deserve a transparent, responsible, representative government that serves the needs of the people - and that does not.... engage in illicit narcotics trafficking," the US state department said. | "The Venezuelan people deserve a transparent, responsible, representative government that serves the needs of the people - and that does not.... engage in illicit narcotics trafficking," the US state department said. |
What does the US indictment say? | What does the US indictment say? |
The charges against Mr Maduro and 14 members of his inner circle include narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering and corruption. | The charges against Mr Maduro and 14 members of his inner circle include narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering and corruption. |
At a news conference announcing the indictment on Thursday, Mr Barr accused Mr Maduro of conspiring with a faction of the Colombian Farc rebel group "to flood the United States with cocaine" and "devastate American communities". | At a news conference announcing the indictment on Thursday, Mr Barr accused Mr Maduro of conspiring with a faction of the Colombian Farc rebel group "to flood the United States with cocaine" and "devastate American communities". |
"While the Venezuelan people suffer, this cabal... lines their pockets," he added. | "While the Venezuelan people suffer, this cabal... lines their pockets," he added. |
Mr Barr said the Colombian rebels had "obtained the support of the Maduro regime, who is allowing them to use Venezuela as a safe haven from which they can continue to conduct their cocaine trafficking". | Mr Barr said the Colombian rebels had "obtained the support of the Maduro regime, who is allowing them to use Venezuela as a safe haven from which they can continue to conduct their cocaine trafficking". |
"Maduro very deliberately deployed cocaine as a weapon... to undermine the health and wellbeing of our nation," US Attorney Geoffrey Berman said. | "Maduro very deliberately deployed cocaine as a weapon... to undermine the health and wellbeing of our nation," US Attorney Geoffrey Berman said. |
He accused Mr Maduro and his top aides of running a "narco-terrorism partnership with the Farc for the past 20 years". | He accused Mr Maduro and his top aides of running a "narco-terrorism partnership with the Farc for the past 20 years". |
In a separate statement, the State Department said those named in the indictment had "violated the public trust by facilitating shipments of narcotics from Venezuela, including control over planes that leave from a Venezuelan air base". | In a separate statement, the State Department said those named in the indictment had "violated the public trust by facilitating shipments of narcotics from Venezuela, including control over planes that leave from a Venezuelan air base". |
In response to the US charges, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza hit out at what he called "unfounded allegations" and said they showed the "desperation" of the "Washington elite". | In response to the US charges, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza hit out at what he called "unfounded allegations" and said they showed the "desperation" of the "Washington elite". |
"The deep frustration of the White House is a product of the peace that reigns today in Venezuela," he said. | "The deep frustration of the White House is a product of the peace that reigns today in Venezuela," he said. |
And in a tweet earlier on Thursday, Mr Maduro accused the US and Colombia of conspiring against Venezuela and causing widespread violence in the country. | And in a tweet earlier on Thursday, Mr Maduro accused the US and Colombia of conspiring against Venezuela and causing widespread violence in the country. |
He has long accused the US of trying to overthrow him in order to seize control of Venezuela's oil reserves. | He has long accused the US of trying to overthrow him in order to seize control of Venezuela's oil reserves. |
What's the background to the Venezuela crisis? | What's the background to the Venezuela crisis? |
Mr Maduro narrowly won a presidential election in April 2013 after the death of his mentor, President Hugo Chávez. | Mr Maduro narrowly won a presidential election in April 2013 after the death of his mentor, President Hugo Chávez. |
He was elected to a second term in May 2018 in an election seen as flawed by international observers. | He was elected to a second term in May 2018 in an election seen as flawed by international observers. |
Venezuela has experienced economic collapse - inflation was 800,000% last year - and 4.8m people have left the country. | Venezuela has experienced economic collapse - inflation was 800,000% last year - and 4.8m people have left the country. |
Mr Guaidó has accused President Maduro of being unfit for office. He has won the support of many in the country as well as US and EU leaders. | Mr Guaidó has accused President Maduro of being unfit for office. He has won the support of many in the country as well as US and EU leaders. |
But Mr Maduro has remained in power and is backed by the army - as well as by Russia, China and Cuba. |