• U.S. prosecutes Venezuelan minister for violating drug sanctions
  • Venezuela.USA offers 15 million dollars for Maduro, accused of drug terrorism

Nicolás Maduro has placed his economic vice president, Tareck El Aissami, at the head of the Ministry of Energy and Oil in the midst of the pandemic and when the black gold market suffers a historical decline. The decision of the "son of Chávez" had been foreseen for weeks, when the loss of confidence in General Manuel Quevedo , until now at the head of the state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), was known .

Since the military landed two and a half years ago in an industry they were unaware of, the drop in production in Venezuela seems to have no end point : the South American country today produces around 600,000 barrels of oil a day when Hugo Chávez came to power it had passed the 2,500,000 barrier.

"We are here to boost economic growth amid the pandemic," said El Aissami, who heads one of Chavismo's most powerful political 'families'.

Both Maduro and El Aissami are accused by the United States of "narcoterrorism". The 'head' of both has a price for their capture: $ 15 million for the president and $ 10 million for the now brand new oil tsar . El Aissami has already weighed an international search warrant since last year, even the drug trafficking charges date back to 2017.

Investigations by the democratic Parliament also link El Aissami, of Lebanese origin, with Hezbollah . "The terrorist group carried out large financial operations through Venezuela," exiled deputy Franco Casella denounced last year to EL MUNDO .

Former Major General Hugo 'El Pollo' Carvajal, who was head of intelligence and counterintelligence with Chávez and Maduro, unveiled in 2019 the vice president's ties to the terrorist organization, even the two traveled together to Iran and Syria . Carvajal assures that the new oil minister wanted Hezbollah militiamen to work with the FARC guerrillas , who were then hiding in Venezuela.

At the helm of PDVSA is Asdrúbal Chávez , a cousin of the 'supreme commander', who was already his number 2 and political boss during the presidency of the now exiled Rafael Ramírez . "The best example of the government's incapacity is the destruction of PDVSA. It is in their interest that the country is locked up, there is no gasoline to move it. It is our people who pay the consequences," Ramírez himself stressed.

The Venezuelan barrel of crude oil closed last week below $ 10 , in parameters very similar to those reached in 1998, during the presidency of Rafael Caldera .

The opposition alerted last week to the landing in the country of two planes from Iran, despite the government-ordered border closure. From within PDVSA, he assured himself that the mission of the Iranians was to start up the Cardón refinery , in an attempt to fight against the gasoline shortage that overwhelms the country.

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  • Venezuela
  • Dani Carvajal
  • Iran
  • Syria
  • Nicolás Maduro
  • Hugo Chavez
  • FARC
  • Venezuela Elections

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