After years of working with the Columbian cocaine cartel, FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia), Venezuelan leader Nicholás Maduro has finally been charged by the U.S. government. Accusations started over five years ago when the Drug Enforcement Administration began looking into Columbia for state-sponsored cocaine trafficking. 

U.S.-Venezuelan relations strained further in early 2019 when Juan Guiadó lost, due to massive election fraud. 

Maduro was charged with narcoterrorism, which is described as “terrorism associated with trade in illicit drugs.” Several reports allege Maduro and several other members of the government, most notably Diosdado Cabello, are involved in the illegal drug trade. The organization of high ranking members involved is called the “Cartel of the Suns.” Following the Department of Justice’s charges, multiple Navy warships were sent to the Caribbean to patrol the waters and stop trafficking. It seems a little overkill to me. Last I checked, the little speed boats traffickers use don’t really need to be blown out of the water. 

Two days after sending the warships, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo offered Maduro a deal: share power with Guiadó and the U.S. will lift crippling sanctions. Maduro turned down the deal. 

This is all in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. That begs the question, is Trump taking advantage of the current situation to push his agenda and pressure Venezuela? Yeah, probably. But would that be such a bad thing? I don’t think so. 

The U.S., which loses tens of thousands of citizens per year to drugs, has little tolerance for Venezuela, especially because they violate several human rights laws. For example, Venezuela does not have a free press, they torture citizens and many people have mysteriously disappeared for criticizing the government. Maduro and his political friends are outright criminals. Their completely unjustified actions have taken the lives of many Venezuelans and threaten American lives. Over 7,000 people were killed in just under 18 months from Venezuela’s death squads. Yes, you read right, death squads. Many of those killed were political dissidents–Maduro is notorious for crushing any and all opposition.

Charging Maduro is a good first step, but action needs to be taken by the U.S. and the International Criminal Court. 

It isn’t such a bad thing to pressure despotic regimes, especially ones in your hemisphere. That being said, Venezuela isn’t the biggest mover of cocaine out there as most of it flows over into the U.S. from the Guatemala. The United States’ motive is a little flawed, but the intent of deposing a ruthless tyrant is justified. However, charging someone with a crime is very different from carrying out justice, so this may not be enough. 

But hey, if you lose your job from the coronavirus and feel like becoming Captain America, the U.S. government is offering $15 million for information leading to the capture of Maduro. Just be careful, narcoterrorists are a nasty bunch.