Latest news with #narco-trafficking
Al Jazeera
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
No proof? Mexico's Sheinbaum weighs the US's claims of a Maduro-cartel tie
The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, has denied that her government has any evidence linking Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro to the Sinaloa Cartel, a criminal network based in her country. Sheinbaum's statements on Friday were prompted by an announcement one day earlier that the United States would double its reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest, putting the current reward at $50m. The administration of US President Donald Trump claimed Maduro was 'one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world' and that he had direct ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, as well as two other Venezuelan gangs. Sheinbaum was asked about those allegations in her morning news conference on Friday. She answered that this week was the first time she had heard of such accusations. 'On Mexico's part, there is no investigation that has to do with that,' Sheinbaum said. 'As we always say, if they have some evidence, show it. We do not have any proof.' A history of 'maximum pressure' Mexico has long maintained diplomatic relations with Venezuela, while the US has broken its ties with the government in Caracas over questions about the legitimacy of Maduro's presidency. Instead, the US has recognised candidates from Venezuela's opposition coalition as the country's rightful leaders, and it has also heavily sanctioned Maduro and his allies. Trump, in particular, has had a rocky relationship with Maduro over his years as president. During his first term, from 2017 to 2021, Trump pursued a campaign of 'maximum pressure' against Maduro, which included an initial reward of $15m. That amount was later raised to $25m during the final weeks of President Joe Biden's presidency, in reaction to Maduro's hotly contested re-election to a third term in 2024. Election observers said that the vote had not been 'democratic', and the opposition coalition published raw vote tallies that appeared to contradict the government's official results. But as Trump began his second term on January 20, critics speculated that the Republican leader would soften his approach to Maduro in order to seek assistance with his campaign of mass deportation. Venezuela has a history of refusing to accept deportees from the US. Since then, Trump has sent envoy Richard Grenell to the Venezuelan capital of Caracas and secured deals that saw US citizens released from Venezuelan custody. Venezuela has also accepted to receive deportation flights from the US in recent months. But the Trump administration has maintained it has no intention of recognising Maduro's government. Legitimising claims of an 'invasion' The accusations against Maduro further another Trump goal: legitimising his sweeping claims to executive power. Since returning to office in January, Trump has invoked emergency measures, including the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, to facilitate his policy goals, including his campaign of mass deportation. Trump was re-elected on a hardline platform that conflated immigration with criminality. But in order to use the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law, Trump had to show that either the country was engaged in a 'declared war' or that it faced an 'invasion or predatory incursion' from a foreign nation. To meet that requirement, Trump has blamed Venezuela for masterminding a criminal 'invasion' of the US. On Thursday, Trump's Attorney General Pam Bondi also accused Maduro of working hand in hand with the cartels to profit from their drug-smuggling enterprises. 'Maduro uses foreign terrorist organisations like TdA [Tren de Aragua], Sinaloa and Cartel of the Suns to bring deadly drugs and violence into our country,' Bondi said in a video. 'To date, the DEA [Drug Enforcement Administration] has seized 30 tonnes of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates, with nearly seven tonnes linked to Maduro himself, which represents a primary source of income for the deadly cartels based in Venezuela and Mexico.' But in May, a declassified intelligence memo from the US government cast doubt on the allegation that Maduro is puppeteering gang activity in the US. 'While Venezuela's permissive environment enables TDA to operate, the Maduro regime probably does not have a policy of cooperating with TDA and is not directing TDA movement to and operations in the United States,' the memo said. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil responded to Bondi's claims on Thursday by calling them 'the most ridiculous smokescreen ever seen'.
CNN
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Trump doubles reward to $50 million for arrest of Venezuela's president to face US drug charges
The Trump administration is doubling to $50 million a reward for the arrest of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of being one of the world's largest narco-traffickers and working with cartels to flood the US with fentanyl-laced cocaine. 'Under President Trump's leadership, Maduro will not escape justice and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes,' Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday in a video announcing the reward. Maduro was indicted in Manhattan federal court in 2020, during the first Trump presidency, along with several close allies on federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. At the time, the US offered a $15 million reward for his arrest. That was later raised by the Biden administration to $25 million — the same amount the US offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden following the September 11, 2001, attacks. Despite the big bounty, Maduro remains entrenched after defying the US, the European Union and several Latin American governments who condemned his 2024 reelection as a sham and recognized his opponent as Venezuela's duly elected president. Last month, the Trump administration struck a deal to secure the release of 10 Americans jailed in the capital, Caracas, in exchange for Venezuela getting home scores of migrants deported by the United States to El Salvador under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Shortly after, the White House reversed course and allowed US oil producer Chevron to resume drilling in Venezuela after it was previously blocked by US sanctions. Bondi said the Justice Department has seized more than $700 million in assets linked to Maduro, including two private jets, and said nearly 7 tons of seized cocaine had been traced directly to the leftist leader. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil released a statement characterizing the reward as 'pathetic' and accusing Bondi of orchestrating a 'crude political propaganda operation.' 'We're not surprised, coming from whom it comes from. The same one who promised a nonexistent 'secret list' of Epstein and who wallows in scandals for political favors,' Gil said, referring to the backlash Bondi faced after the Justice Department announced last month that a long-rumored 'client list' of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein does not exist. 'Her show is a joke, a desperate distraction from her own misery.'
CNN
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Trump doubles reward to $50 million for arrest of Venezuela's president to face US drug charges
The Trump administration is doubling to $50 million a reward for the arrest of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of being one of the world's largest narco-traffickers and working with cartels to flood the US with fentanyl-laced cocaine. 'Under President Trump's leadership, Maduro will not escape justice and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes,' Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday in a video announcing the reward. Maduro was indicted in Manhattan federal court in 2020, during the first Trump presidency, along with several close allies on federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. At the time, the US offered a $15 million reward for his arrest. That was later raised by the Biden administration to $25 million — the same amount the US offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden following the September 11, 2001, attacks. Despite the big bounty, Maduro remains entrenched after defying the US, the European Union and several Latin American governments who condemned his 2024 reelection as a sham and recognized his opponent as Venezuela's duly elected president. Last month, the Trump administration struck a deal to secure the release of 10 Americans jailed in the capital, Caracas, in exchange for Venezuela getting home scores of migrants deported by the United States to El Salvador under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Shortly after, the White House reversed course and allowed US oil producer Chevron to resume drilling in Venezuela after it was previously blocked by US sanctions. Bondi said the Justice Department has seized more than $700 million in assets linked to Maduro, including two private jets, and said nearly 7 tons of seized cocaine had been traced directly to the leftist leader. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil released a statement characterizing the reward as 'pathetic' and accusing Bondi of orchestrating a 'crude political propaganda operation.' 'We're not surprised, coming from whom it comes from. The same one who promised a nonexistent 'secret list' of Epstein and who wallows in scandals for political favors,' Gil said, referring to the backlash Bondi faced after the Justice Department announced last month that a long-rumored 'client list' of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein does not exist. 'Her show is a joke, a desperate distraction from her own misery.'
CNN
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Trump doubles reward to $50 million for arrest of Venezuela's president to face US drug charges
South America Donald Trump Drugs in societyFacebookTweetLink Follow The Trump administration is doubling to $50 million a reward for the arrest of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of being one of the world's largest narco-traffickers and working with cartels to flood the US with fentanyl-laced cocaine. 'Under President Trump's leadership, Maduro will not escape justice and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes,' Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday in a video announcing the reward. Maduro was indicted in Manhattan federal court in 2020, during the first Trump presidency, along with several close allies on federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. At the time, the US offered a $15 million reward for his arrest. That was later raised by the Biden administration to $25 million — the same amount the US offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden following the September 11, 2001, attacks. Despite the big bounty, Maduro remains entrenched after defying the US, the European Union and several Latin American governments who condemned his 2024 reelection as a sham and recognized his opponent as Venezuela's duly elected president. Last month, the Trump administration struck a deal to secure the release of 10 Americans jailed in the capital, Caracas, in exchange for Venezuela getting home scores of migrants deported by the United States to El Salvador under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Shortly after, the White House reversed course and allowed US oil producer Chevron to resume drilling in Venezuela after it was previously blocked by US sanctions. Bondi said the Justice Department has seized more than $700 million in assets linked to Maduro, including two private jets, and said nearly 7 tons of seized cocaine had been traced directly to the leftist leader. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil released a statement characterizing the reward as 'pathetic' and accusing Bondi of orchestrating a 'crude political propaganda operation.' 'We're not surprised, coming from whom it comes from. The same one who promised a nonexistent 'secret list' of Epstein and who wallows in scandals for political favors,' Gil said, referring to the backlash Bondi faced after the Justice Department announced last month that a long-rumored 'client list' of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein does not exist. 'Her show is a joke, a desperate distraction from her own misery.'
CTV News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Trump doubles reward to US$50 million for arrest of Venezuela's president to face drug charges
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro addresses supporters during an event marking the anniversary of his disputed re-election and the birthday of late President Hugo Chavez, in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) MIAMI — The Trump administration is doubling to US$50 million a reward for the arrest of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of being one of the world's largest narco-traffickers and working with cartels to flood the U.S. with fentanyl-laced cocaine. 'Under President Trump's leadership, Maduro will not escape justice and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes,' Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday in a video announcing the reward. Maduro was indicted in Manhattan federal court in 2020, during the first Trump presidency, along with several close allies on federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine. At the time, the U.S. offered a $15 million reward for his arrest. That was later raised by the Biden administration to $25 million — the same amount the U.S. offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Despite the big bounty, Maduro remains entrenched after defying the U.S., the European Union and several Latin American governments who condemned his 2024 reelection as a sham and recognized his opponent as Venezuela's duly elected president. Last month, the Trump administration struck a deal to secure the release of 10 Americans jailed in the capital, Caracas, in exchange for Venezuela getting home scores of migrants deported by the United States to El Salvador under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Shortly after, the White House reversed course and allowed U.S. oil producer Chevron to resume drilling in Venezuela after it was previously blocked by U.S. sanctions. Bondi said the Justice Department has seized more than $700 million in assets linked to Maduro, including two private jets, and said nearly 7 tons of seized cocaine had been traced directly to the leftist leader. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil released a statement characterizing the reward as 'pathetic' and accusing Bondi of orchestrating a 'crude political propaganda operation.' 'We're not surprised, coming from whom it comes from. The same one who promised a nonexistent 'secret list' of Epstein and who wallows in scandals for political favours,' Gil said, referring to the backlash Bondi faced after the Justice Department announced last month that a long-rumored 'client list' of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein does not exist. 'Her show is a joke, a desperate distraction from her own misery.' ___ Joshua Goodman, The Associated Press Associated Press writer Regina Garcia Cano contributed to this report from Mexico City.
