Nicolás Maduro on Drug Cartels

Nicolás Maduro states that Venezuela is prepared to negotiate a serious agreement with the United States to combat drug trafficking, contingent on direct talks. He framed the U.S. pressure campaign, which escalated to include military deployments and strikes, as an attempt by the U.S. government to impose itself through intimidation and force to gain control of the nation's vast oil reserves. Maduro has reportedly declined to comment specifically on a recent CIA-led strike at a Venezuelan docking area believed to be used by cartels, deferring comment to a later time.

Under previous administrations, the relationship between the government and drug trafficking began with the expulsion of the U.S. DEA in 2005, leading to deepened ties with groups like the FARC and the consolidation of the Cartel of the Suns, which high-ranking officials allegedly lead. The U.S. indictment accuses Maduro of narco-terrorism, facilitating massive cocaine shipments, and ordering violent acts against those indebted to the network. Despite these international allegations and military operations against alleged smuggling boats, the regime asserts its willingness to discuss drug interdiction while prioritizing the country's sovereignty against foreign intervention.