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Oele

(128 posts)
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 06:22 PM Nov 2015

U.S. Arrests Two Relatives of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Drug-Trafficking Charges

U.S. agents arrest two on charges they conspired to transport 800 kilograms of cocaine to the U.S., according to two people familiar with the matter

By JOSÉ DE CÓRDOBA
Nov. 11, 2015 4:14 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON—U.S. agents arrested two close relatives of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s wife on charges they conspired to transport 800 kilograms of cocaine to the U.S., according to two people familiar with the matter, a potentially explosive incident that comes amid U.S. accusations that the top echelon of Venezuela’s government is involved in the narcotics trade.

More @ http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-says-it-arrests-two-relatives-of-venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-on-drug-trafficking-charges-1447276449

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U.S. Arrests Two Relatives of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Drug-Trafficking Charges (Original Post) Oele Nov 2015 OP
Isn't "Maduro's Wife" also a government official? MADem Nov 2015 #1
This is so much over the top bull shit!!! juxtaposed Nov 2015 #9
Ha ha ha! Zorro Nov 2015 #10
it's tuff aint it juxtaposed Nov 2015 #11
Yeah, sure--tell us another one! MADem Nov 2015 #12
wouldn't it be strange if US operatives with connections to US corporations juxtaposed Nov 2015 #14
Aw, does it hurt having to accept the reality that the Bolivarian Revolution was a failure? :( Marksman_91 Nov 2015 #18
I think she is the minister of something, smuggling probably nt Bacchus4.0 Nov 2015 #23
Ha ha ha....I thought she was the Boehner of the legislature, but I don't remember! nt MADem Nov 2015 #24
Fill in the blanks: "A family that trafficks drugs together _________________" COLGATE4 Nov 2015 #2
Runs for the GOP nomination together? forest444 Nov 2015 #5
Given W's background, that would work... COLGATE4 Nov 2015 #6
Plus: it's so much easier to be in the rackets when you're a Bush. forest444 Nov 2015 #8
This message was self-deleted by its author COLGATE4 Nov 2015 #3
An addition from foxnews.. Oele Nov 2015 #4
Oooh. Bad boys, tattling on Uncle Diosdado. COLGATE4 Nov 2015 #7
Old "God Given Hair" is probably tearing out what little he's got left at this stage of the game!!! MADem Nov 2015 #13
I hope they've got the lads in Protective Custody. COLGATE4 Nov 2015 #15
They snatched 'em up outta HAITI! Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall ... nt MADem Nov 2015 #16
Funny thing is, Diosdado was there not too long ago negotiating something with the WH envoy there Marksman_91 Nov 2015 #19
If "God Given Hair" has a "God Given Ability" to survive the shitstorm that will no doubt MADem Nov 2015 #20
There's a lot of theories regarding what's going on Marksman_91 Nov 2015 #17
I TOTALLY believe this--Cabello and Chavez were close in the military; he was the logical sucessor. MADem Nov 2015 #21
Venezuela leader condemns 'imperialist' attacks after drug arrests Oele Nov 2015 #22

MADem

(135,425 posts)
1. Isn't "Maduro's Wife" also a government official?
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 06:32 PM
Nov 2015

Here's more for those who don't subscribe to WSJ--it was her nephews.....AND THEY ARE IN CUSTODY!!!!


Two nephews of Venezuela's first lady have been arrested and brought to the United States to face drug trafficking charges, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Franqui Francisco Flores-de Freitas and Efrain Antonio Campo-Flores were flown into New York on Tuesday, a source said.

Both are nephews of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, according to two sources linked to the Flores family.

The news may tarnish Maduro's image as he heads toward legislative elections that are expected to be among the most difficult for the ruling Socialist Party due to the OPEC nation's ongoing economic crisis.

The U.S. State Department says that more than half of the cocaine produced in neighboring Colombia is trafficked through Venezuela toward markets in Europe and the United States.

Maduro denies those charges, calling them a smear campaign against the Socialist Party.

No charging documents were immediately available on Wednesday. A spokeswoman for Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara declined comment. Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment.

Flores, 62, whom the president refers to as the "First Combatant," is highly influential under the government of her husband. She worked on the legal team of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez, working to secure his 1994 release from prison after a failed coup attempt.

In 2006, she became the first woman elected to lead the legislature, taking over that role from Maduro.......



http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/11/us-venezuela-usa-crime-idUSKCN0T02JE20151111
 

juxtaposed

(2,778 posts)
9. This is so much over the top bull shit!!!
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 07:08 PM
Nov 2015

This is america still trying to exploit countries for their resources.
Throw the ex-patriots out of america and close the school of the america's..
Let them self rule...

MADem

(135,425 posts)
12. Yeah, sure--tell us another one!
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 07:28 PM
Nov 2015


No one believes that Bolivarian solidarity bullshit anymore. That place is run by crooks, and the porty fella with the moustache is the biggest, stupidest crook of the bunch.
 

juxtaposed

(2,778 posts)
14. wouldn't it be strange if US operatives with connections to US corporations
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 07:37 PM
Nov 2015

began being exposed? Bank accounts of ex-patriots being exposed.. That would really suck if it happened wouldn't it.

 

Marksman_91

(2,035 posts)
18. Aw, does it hurt having to accept the reality that the Bolivarian Revolution was a failure? :(
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 09:52 PM
Nov 2015

Don't worry, you're not alone. Even Noam Chomsky has admitted that Venezuela is a disaster now under Maduro. It's ok to accept you were wrong.

forest444

(5,902 posts)
8. Plus: it's so much easier to be in the rackets when you're a Bush.
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 07:05 PM
Nov 2015

Besides their connections, what works so well for them is that most voters seem to think that the only narcos are people who look like the cast of Netflix's 'Narcos'.

Pretty hopeless, if you ask me.

Response to Oele (Original post)

Oele

(128 posts)
4. An addition from foxnews..
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 06:46 PM
Nov 2015
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2015/11/11/venezuelan-president-relatives-arrested-trying-to-smuggle-nearly-1-ton-drug/

"They told the DEA that they were acting in connection with Diosdado Cabello, speaker of the National Assembly, as well as with a governor, Tarck el Aissami, who is the former Venezuelan Minister of the Interior."

....

COLGATE4

(14,732 posts)
7. Oooh. Bad boys, tattling on Uncle Diosdado.
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 06:58 PM
Nov 2015

That's not going to sit well at home. Obviously the two youths were waterboarded and given drugs by the CIA in order to get them to speak so ill of the Leaders of the Patria.

MADem

(135,425 posts)
13. Old "God Given Hair" is probably tearing out what little he's got left at this stage of the game!!!
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 07:30 PM
Nov 2015

Good thing VZ doesn't extradite! Don't step over any borders, now....

COLGATE4

(14,732 posts)
15. I hope they've got the lads in Protective Custody.
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 07:38 PM
Nov 2015

You never know when one of those Colombian Paramilitary squads might show up in Miami...

 

Marksman_91

(2,035 posts)
19. Funny thing is, Diosdado was there not too long ago negotiating something with the WH envoy there
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 09:55 PM
Nov 2015

I believe his name was Thomas Shannon. Wonder if the negotiations there included perhaps ratting out certain relatives to Maduro, and try to shift away attention from himself regarding his current investigation for being accused as running an international drug cartel. Whaddaya think? New writing material for "Narcos," maybe?

MADem

(135,425 posts)
20. If "God Given Hair" has a "God Given Ability" to survive the shitstorm that will no doubt
Thu Nov 12, 2015, 01:20 AM
Nov 2015

envelope VZ in the months ahead, we'll know!

Everyone needs a confidential, cooperating witness, every now and again!

And of course, the guy who gets to tell how it "really" happened, is the one who survives.


Will Diosdado claim that "Maduro tried to set me up?" Nothing would surprise me at this stage! "See? See? It was HIS godson and nephew that were doing this shit...not meeeeeeee!!!!"




Stranger things have happened!

 

Marksman_91

(2,035 posts)
17. There's a lot of theories regarding what's going on
Wed Nov 11, 2015, 09:49 PM
Nov 2015

Last edited Thu Nov 12, 2015, 01:47 AM - Edit history (1)

Some say the PSUV leadership is essentially split in two: those who follow Cabello, and those who follow Maduro. And this whole game with the DEA is to see who will stand on top once the main players of the opposing side is gotten rid of. Cilia Flores (Maduro's wife) is apparently going soon to St. Vincent and the Grenadines to "study English." BULL-fucking-shit. She's gonna stay over there for protection or to seek asylum. The Maduro's are searching now for places where they can exile themselves once the Chavista regime falls, and each one of the PSUV narco-kings start to be prosecuted for god knows how many different kinds of crimes. It's every man (or should I say "family&quot for himself now.

MADem

(135,425 posts)
21. I TOTALLY believe this--Cabello and Chavez were close in the military; he was the logical sucessor.
Thu Nov 12, 2015, 01:27 AM
Nov 2015

Maduro is the outsider, chosen by Raul Castro at a time when Chavez was dying, drugged, fucked up, and being lied to about his condition. Maduro is easily led, like a dumb bull with a ring through his nose. Now that Cuba is engaging in rapprochement with USA, they don't NEED VZ anymore.

Under the bus with 'em! Gee--bet Snowden's glad he didn't hightail it to Caracas, after all!

Oele

(128 posts)
22. Venezuela leader condemns 'imperialist' attacks after drug arrests
Thu Nov 12, 2015, 11:28 AM
Nov 2015

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday condemned what he called imperialist attacks and ambushes after two nephews of his wife were arrested in Haiti and taken to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.

"The fatherland will follow its course," tweeted the 52-year-old Venezuelan president, whose socialist government is facing increasing accusations from the United States of collusion in smuggling cocaine from Colombia.

"Neither attacks nor imperialist ambushes can harm the people of the liberators," added Maduro, who was to address the United Nations human rights body in Geneva later on Thursday.

Franqui Francisco Flores-de Freitas, 30, and Efrain Antonio Campo-Flores, 29, were flown to New York on Tuesday, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Both are nephews of Maduro's wife and first lady, Cilia Flores.

more @ http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/12/us-venezuela-usa-crime-idUSKCN0T11B820151112#co9ZLijXfTVbw99c.97

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