The Director of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Terry Cole, made a serious accusation this Thursday: the regime of Nicolás Maduro collaborates with Colombian guerrillas such as the National Liberation Army (ELN) and FARC to send record amounts of cocaine to Mexican cartels operating in the United States.
This claim coincides with international support for the Chavista regime under the narrative of “sovereignty,” led by China, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, and ALBA countries.
Venezuela: A Narcoterrorist State
In an interview with Fox News, Cole stated:
“Venezuela has become a narcoterrorist state that continues to collaborate with FARC and ELN from Colombia to send record amounts of cocaine from Venezuela and Colombia to Mexican cartels, which keep entering the United States.”
The DEA official emphasized that these networks do not only traffic drugs but also finance criminal structures within Venezuela, mainly through the Cárteles de los Soles, linked to high-ranking officials in the FANB and the Chavista government.
The term narcoterrorism is key: it describes the cooperation between the Venezuelan state and Colombian insurgent groups to maintain criminal networks that directly impact the population and regional stability.
International Support for Maduro
While the U.S. denounces the regime’s collaboration with criminal networks, international allies defend Maduro under the discourse of sovereignty and regional unity:
China: Provides diplomatic and political support, rejecting any U.S. intervention in Venezuela.
Gustavo Petro (Colombia): Supported the Chavista regime’s permanence in the name of sovereignty and regional stability.
ALBA (Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Venezuela): Defend the Venezuelan government and criticize the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean.
This support acts as a political shield that allows the regime to maintain power and protect high-ranking officials linked to the Cárteles de los Soles.
What Is at Stake for the Venezuelan People
International support for Maduro in the name of sovereignty has direct consequences for the population:
Normalization of Drug Trafficking: It becomes institutionalized as part of the regime’s power apparatus.
Victimization of the Common Citizen: Insecurity and corruption directly affect the people.
Impunity: Those responsible within the government and the FANB operate under international political protection.
Gustavo Petro’s Game
Petro’s support for Maduro shows how “sovereignty” discourses can legitimate criminal regimes. This political backing not only creates tension with the U.S. but also strengthens the narrative of regional unity to protect illicit structures.
Venezuela Faces a Double Risk: The Consolidation of Internal Narcoterrorism and the Political Protection that Perpetuates Maduro’s Power
As allies like China, Petro, and ALBA defend the regime in the name of sovereignty, the Venezuelan people continue to be victims of a state that prioritizes the protection of its criminal networks over the security and welfare of its citizens.
Maduro, DEA, Venezuela, Narcoterrorism, Cárteles de los Soles, ELN, FARC, China, Gustavo Petro, ALBA, Organized Crime, International Politics