The US has recently charger several senior officials in Venezuela, including its President Nicolas Maduro, with flooding the US with cocaine and other drugs, using them as a weapon to damage American health. The charges were announced by Attorney General William Barr, who also stated that a $15 million reward is being offered for information on Maduro that lead to his arrest.
The United State’s move will likely escalate already high tensions between the US and Venezuela. Washington has previously accused Maduro of leading a corrupt and brutal regime, which the leader has rejected multiple times. The US backs Maduro’s rival, Venezuela’s opposition leader, who previously declared himself interim president. The new charges escalate a historical US pressure campaign against Maduro, which includes sanctions on the country’s oil industry.
Read More: Nicolás Maduro: US charges Venezuelan president with ‘narco-terrorism’