Rubio Critiques Maduro Ahead of Venezuelan Elections
On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio took a jab at Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro as South American nations prepared for local government elections aimed at filling numerous mayoral and council positions.
This electoral event occurs just before Venezuela’s presidential election. The Trump administration has recently intensified its efforts to pressure Maduro.
“One year later, after Maduro absurdly claims victory over the people of Venezuela, the United States remains steadfast in its support for restoring Venezuela’s democracy and justice,” Rubio stated. He emphasized that “Maduro is not the president of Venezuela, and his government lacks legitimacy.”
He further accused Maduro of leading a designated narcotics organization, asserting that Maduro was involved in drug trafficking operations targeting the US and Europe. According to Rubio, Maduro is corrupting Venezuelan agencies to facilitate these criminal activities.
The Justice Department has brought charges against Maduro and 14 other former Venezuelan officials related to drugs and corruption, dating back to March 2020. Notably, a few days before President Trump’s inauguration, the State Department increased its rewards for information leading to Maduro to between $15 million and $25 million.
Rubio highlighted that for years, Maduro’s administration has manipulated Venezuela’s electoral framework to cling to power illegally. He claimed that holding city elections just before the questionable presidential election serves to empower military and police forces against the will of the Venezuelan populace.
“We will hold the corrupt and criminal Maduro government accountable,” he added, stressing the threat posed to U.S. national security by those who steal elections and undermine democracy.
Maduro has been in power since 2013, but the US has not recognized his presidency since 2019, rejecting the legitimacy of his victory in the last presidential election.
The Treasury recently designated the Cartel de los Salles, also known as Cartel of the Sands, as “specially designated global terrorists,” alleging connections between the Cartel and Maduro’s administration.
The U.S. claims that this Venezuela-based group is providing support to Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel, both classified as foreign terrorist organizations earlier this year. The Treasury mentions the Cartel de los Salles’ emblem often appears on Venezuelan military uniforms.
Bescent noted that the new legal actions highlight how the Maduro regime promotes narco-terrorism via groups like Cartel de los Salles.
“The Treasury will continue to enforce President Trump’s commitment to prioritize American interests by cracking down on violent organizations,” he concluded.
