United States Fabricates False Drug Charges Against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro

Op-Ed, William Lee



On March 26, 2020, the Department of Justice filed charges against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro for Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, & Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices. (1) This comes after a statement made on April 10, 2019 by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence stating that "the Trump administration is determined to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power in Venezuela, preferably through diplomatic and economic pressure, but "all options are on the table," and Russia and others need to step aside." (2) The charges came without evidence or explanation, and this isn't the first time the United States has used false allegations to destabilize regimes it didn't agree with.



The situation is a dark echo of the 1988 indictment against General Manuel Noriega, (3) which was used as an excuse (4) for the United State's invasion of Panama in 1989. Although General Manuel Noriega was on the CIA's payroll, (5) and the CIA has a history of illegal drug trafficking to fund their "extralegal" interference in international politics, (6) the U.S. government turned against him to support an illegal (7) coup orchestrated by a CIA/Contra alliance of right-wing extremists with the goal of increasing U.S. influence in the nation. The illegal invasion was condemned by the United Nations, (7) amongst many other countries and legal experts.



After Maduro won the election for the Venezuelan Presidency on May 20, 2018, (8) the United States supported right-wing Juan Guaidó's claim as interim president, (9) keeping in line with the United State's history of anti-socialist aggression. The abhorrent amount of propaganda and disinformation spread by the United State's government and major media corporations should be deplored by anyone who believes in a nation's right to self-determination.



These spurious charges filed by the Department of Justice are indicative of the moral bankruptcy of the United State's political elite, whose sole concerns are amassing as much wealth and power as possible. When 90% of the media in the United States is owned by six companies, (10) and the CIA has a history of bribing and threatening journalists to control the media narrative, (11) it is now more imperative than ever that We the People strive to remain informed and active against tyranny both domestic and abroad.





1: “Documents Related to the March 26, 2020 Press Conference.” The United States Department of Justice, 27 Mar. 2020, www.justice.gov/opa/documents-related-march-26-2020-press-conference.



2: LEDERER, EDITH M. “Pence Says US Wants Maduro out and 'All Options' on Table.” ABC News, ABC News Network, www.abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/urged-declare-venezuela-humanitarian-emergency-62299025.



3: Shenon, Philip. “NORIEGA INDICTED BY U.S. FOR LINKS TO ILLEGAL DRUGS.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 6 Feb. 1988, www.nytimes.com/1988/02/06/world/noriega-indicted-by-us-for-links-to-illegal-drugs.html.



4: “Fighting in Panama: The President; A Transcript of Bush's Address on the Decision to Use Force in Panama.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 Dec. 1989, www.nytimes.com/1989/12/21/world/fighting-panama-president-transcript-bush-s-address-decision-use-force-panama.html.



5: Washington, Bobby Ghosh /. “Who's Who on the CIA Payroll.” Time, Time Inc., 28 Oct. 2009, www.content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1933053_1933052_1933051,00.html.



6: “DRUG SMUGGLING AND THE CONTRAS.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/document/cia-rdp90-00965r000707110001-8.



7: “Effects of the Military Intervention by the United States of America in Panama on the Situation in Central America : Resolution / Adopted by the General Assembly.” United Nations Digital Library, www.digitallibrary.un.org/record/81030?ln=eu.



8: Neuman, William, and Nicholas Casey. “Venezuela Election Won by Maduro Amid Widespread Disillusionment.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 May 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/05/20/world/americas/venezuela-election.html.



9: “Nicolas Maduro: Corruption and Chaos in Venezuela - United States Department of State.” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, www.state.gov/nicolas-maduro-corruption-and-chaos-in-venezuela/.



10: Lutz, Ashley. “These 6 Corporations Control 90% Of The Media In America.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 14 June 2012, www.businessinsider.com/these-6-corporations-control-90-of-the-media-in-america-2012-6.



11: Sponsor, A Daily Beast. “How the CIA Paid and Threatened Journalists to Do Its Work.” The Daily Beast, The Daily Beast Company, 13 July 2017, www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2016/10/14/how-the-cia-paid-and-threatened-journalists-to-do-its-work.