Foreign
nal murder rate of 48 per 100,000 is more than twice
that of a Mexico riddled with drug cartel violence — an
increase of 140 percent in 10 years since Chavez came
into power.
The bombastic Chavez insists that Venezuela can han-
dle its own anti-drug program, even claiming that the U.S.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which he eject-
ed from Venezuela in 2005, is “fi lled with drug traffi ckers.”
Meanwhile, according to U.N. fi gures, Venezuelan
drug seizures dropped from 58 tons in 2005 to less than 32
tons in 2007, and the GAO report notes that much of this
seized cocaine may actually have been kept by Chavez’s
BLIND EYE Corrupt Venezuelan offi cials rarely interfere with
security forces for resale or returned to traffi ckers.
their country’s many cocaine laboratories like the one above.
The report noted that the Venezuelan National Guard
provides a lifeline to drug smugglers, and the U.S. Treasury
Department names top Venezuelan
intelligence directors Hugo Armando
Carvajal Barrios and Henry de Jesus
Rangel Silva and former Justice
Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin
as “drug kingpins.” All are close
Chavez associates.
Experts fear that South American
battle lines are being drawn, with the
“Drug kingpin”
Ramon Chacin
U.S. backing Colombia and Chavez
becoming increasingly hostile
toward his neighbor. Chavez has been caught aiding the
Colombian leftist terrorist group FARC, which hopes to
NABBED Spanish authorities confi scate 2.5 tons of Venezuelan
overthrow the Colombian government and commits kill-
cocaine from a smuggling ship bound for Europe.
ings and kidnappings. FARC fi nances its activities through Venezuela has threatened to end trade deals with
the smuggling of massive amounts of cocaine. Colombia and ordered Colombian diplomats home. Gas
While Chavez vehemently denies involvement with costs about 76 percent more today than when Colombians
the FARC organization, Swedish anti-tank missiles origi- were paying for subsidized fuel under an agreement which
nally sold to Venezuela have been captured from FARC Venezuela ended.
terrorists in Colombian military raids. When the United States inked a recent deal with
“There is regular interaction between the Chavez regime Colombia to give the U.S. access to three Colombian mili-
and elements of FARC,” Walser tells Newsmax. “Anything tary bases for drug interdiction efforts, Chavez roared, E
S
G
A
that gives oxygen to FARC and allows them to keep operat- “This is part of the imperial strategy.” I
M
ing in the fi eld, practicing terror and extortion, kidnapping Claiming Colombia has launched cross-border incur- E
T
T
Y
people, and traffi cking drugs, is very dangerous.” sions while chasing FARC guerillas, he urged Venezuelans,
F
P
/
G
A
FARC, the report states, handles about 60 percent of “The threat against us is growing. I call on the people and
I
P
/
S
H
cocaine smuggled into the the armed forces: Let’s go! E
S
/
G
United States. Venezuela
A
I
M
P
provides a safe haven for “
There’s a lot of rhetoric and bravado Ready for combat!”
/
A
C
I
N
FARC fi ghters and smug-
coming out of Chavez, but initiating an
However, Meiners
noted, “Colombia has the
A
C
H
glers, facilitates arms armed con ict with Colombia would not most powerful military on
E
S
/
G
sales to FARC from other
A
I
M
countries, and provides
be a wise move.
E
T
T
Y
G
Venezuelan passports to FARC operatives.
’’
the continent and a long-
standing military relation-
ship with the U.S. There’s a lot of rhetoric and bravado F
P
/
/
A
Roger Noriega, former State Department offi cial and coming out of Chavez, but initiating an armed confl ict
E
T
O
R
managing director of Vision Americas, wrote in Forbes, with Colombia would not be a wise move.”
R
A
B
“Chavez’s agents have been caught red-handed providing “Colombia is a working state and our partner,” Walser
N
A
anti-tank rockets, small arms, munitions, and money to guer- tells Newsmax. “We really need to back them and stand
E
/
J
U
I
N
rillas waging an illegal war against a sovereign neighbor.” up to the Chavez menace.”
C
A
C
O
48 NEWSMAX / NOVEMBER 2009
46_FOR_Venez drugs.indd 48 9/30/09 7:59 PM
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