Ultimatum to Caracas: US drug agency spied on Venezuela’s President Maduro

Ultimatum to Caracas
US Drug Enforcement Agency spied on Venezuelan President Maduro

By Roland Peters
February 2, 2024, 8:03 a.m

Listen to article

Is Venezuela a narco state? Apparently, US agents spied on Venezuela’s ruler Maduro and his leadership for years to get answers. The rapprochement between the two countries is already strained. She is hanging on an ultimatum for Caracas.

It’s a little diplomatic bomb that went off there. The US anti-drug agency has been spying on the Venezuelan government for years, reported Associated Press, citing classified documents available to it. Accordingly, the Drug Enforcement Agency, or DEA for short, sent its agents to the South American country for years in “Operation Money Badger”. The aim was to secretly document evidence of drug dealings by ruler Nicolás Maduro and his leadership.

In addition to Maduro, dozens of people are said to have been spied on. According to the 2018 document, the United States was aware that it would likely violate international law. “It is necessary to carry out this operation alone and without notifying Venezuelan representatives,” it says. They do not have to fear legal consequences because there is no mechanism for this. Alex Saab, the businessman whom the United States released from prison and flew to Caracas in December in exchange for the release of 10 American nationals and 20 Venezuelans, was also spied on.

It is unclear whether the operation will continue. Then-President Hugo Chávez officially banned US drug officials from Venezuela almost two decades ago. “We are not concerned with complying with the laws of other countries when those countries are rogue regimes and the lives of American children are at stake,” the former DEA attaché in Venezuela said of the operation. “In the case of Venezuela, where they are flooding us with drugs, it’s worth the risk.” Up to 15 percent of the cocaine smuggled worldwide is transported through Venezuela.

Shaky choice

The revelation could put even more strain on relations between the two countries. In January, Maduro accused the “imperialist, criminal organizations” DEA and the US foreign intelligence service CIA of carrying out their operations against Venezuela without the knowledge of US President Joe Biden. The USA reached out to Venezuela in March 2022; despite Caracas’ friendship with Moscow. After the Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, negotiators from Washington met with Venezuelan representatives.

The USA then relaxed a few sanctions as a sign of goodwill and allowed negotiations between the US oil company Chevron, the only one still operating in the Caribbean country, and the Venezuelan state-owned PdVSA on production projects. In return, Caracas promised fair presidential elections in 2024 and should allow election observers.

After the deal, the Venezuelan opposition, which had been divided for many years, pulled together and presented Maria Machado as Maduro’s opponent. The 56-year-old engineer won the primary election with 93 percent of the vote. A date for the election had not yet been set, but there was a feeling of optimism. The last election took place in May 2018. Because of irregularities, hardly any country recognized Maduro’s election victory, but instead recognized the then speaker of the parliament, Juan Guaidó.

“Operation Money Badger” was designed in this context. Then-President Donald Trump pursued a strategy of maximum pressure to force regime change. At least three agents should be infiltrated to prove that Venezuela is being converted into a narco state. Since 2013, the DEA and prosecutors have been investigating around 100 Venezuelans with knowledge of internal processes under the name “Money Badger.” The use was gradually expanded.

In 2020, Maduro and associates were indicted by a court on charges of forming a criminal organization; They worked with drug smugglers and terrorists and together with them defrauded their country of billions of dollars. The secret operation is not mentioned in the indictments. A $55 million reward has been offered for the capture of Maduro and four other people.

Time until April for Maduro

However, Washington’s goal in Venezuela is the same under President Joe Biden: Maduro should give up power and thus, in the best case scenario, remove the oil-rich country from the influence of Russia and China. But the coarsely woven new tablecloth between the two states is on the verge of disintegrating into its individual parts again. The loyal Supreme Court in Caracas excluded Machado from the presidential election last week. She supported the sanctions against Venezuela and Guaidó’s parallel government, which was supported by the USA. At the same time, several opposition politicians were arrested.

From Washington’s perspective, Caracas broke the agreement – and sent a warning shot and an ultimatum for Maduro’s government. All transactions by US companies with the state-owned gold mining company Minerven must be completed by February 13th. Machado doesn’t want to give up. “There is no retreat. We have a mandate and we will fulfill it.”

If Machado is not approved, all sanctions for Venezuela’s oil and gas sector will come into force again from April 18, the White House said. The US government is considering additional punitive measures. “You have until spring,” said spokesman John Kirby. “You have to make decisions before we consider which ones we make.”