U.S. Focuses on Top Venezuelan Officials in a Broad Cocaine Inquiry

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/20/world/americas/us-focuses-on-top-venezuelan-officials-in-a-broad-cocaine-inquiry.html?

WASHINGTON — Senior Venezuelan officials are under investigation by the American authorities as part of a wide-ranging inquiry into the distribution of cocaine in the Western Hemisphere, American law enforcement officials said on Tuesday.

The investigation, which involves allegations of money laundering and trafficking, is being led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is focused on one of Venezuela’s most powerful politicians, Diosdado Cabello, the National Assembly president, according to the officials, who insisted on anonymity to discuss an active case.

It is not clear what United States prosecutors plan to do with any evidence they may have collected on Mr. Cabello and others. The United States and Venezuela have long had strained relations, making it unlikely that the authorities in Caracas would hand over high-profile leaders if they were charged.
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Mr. Cabello recently filed a defamation lawsuit in Venezuela against two newspapers and a website that ran articles about an aide’s cooperation with American investigators. United States officials have long charged that there are links between the Venezuelan military and drug traffickers. Those ties, according to the officials, include a close relationship with the largest guerrilla group in neighboring Colombia, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, which relies on narcotics trafficking, particularly of cocaine, for much of its income.