On legal merits, there is a solid case against Maduro and his associates. But the course of action pursued by the DOJ is unwise.
filed in the Southern District of New York, the Justice Department outlined a series of allegations against Venezuelan dictator Nicholas Maduro for drug offenses dating back to 1999.
The indictment claims Maduro received $5 million in drug profits from a guerilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , when he served as Venezuela's foreign minister in 2006. Federal prosecutors also named Maduro as head of the Suns Cartel, an organization whose purpose was to"flood" the United States with cocaine.
There are a number of reasons why formal U.S. legal action against the Maduro regime is unwise, particularly at this moment. The Maduro regime may be in dire straits economically, but it is not without ammunition. For more than two years,—five of whom are American citizens—have been treated as criminals ever since they were arrested on spurious corruption charges. Caracas does not hesitate in using these detainees as bargaining chips.
The indictment against Maduro will also have unforeseen humanitarian impacts for a nation already incapable of providing its citizens with the most elementary public services. Due in large measure to the Maduro regime's corruption and mismanagement, Venezuela's economy has experienced one of the worst economic contractions in the 21st century. Its GDP has declined every year since 2014, reaching an astounding 19.
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