The Communist Party USA condemns the U.S. government for instituting criminal charges against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and other officials of his government. The announcement issued on March 26 by the U.S. Attorney General alleges that they engage in narco-trafficking We equally reject U.S. allegations that Venezuela’s government is guilty of narco-terrorism.

We note the paucity of evidence offered in support of these charges. Once more we denounce U.S. infringement of the independence of a sovereign nation.  We object also to rewards in the millions of dollars offered to anyone capturing these Venezuelan officials or facilitating their capture. Such an inducement amounts to a clear invitation to thuggery and other kind of criminal behavior that are likely to contribution to turmoil in Venezuela.

This highly inappropriate action of the U.S. government serves to highlight its hypocrisy. Colombia, a tight U.S. ally, is the world’s top cocaine producer. Most cocaine produced there moves on to the United States – the lead consuming nation - via Central America. On the way, U.S. protegee Honduras serves as a major transit point. A very small fraction does proceed through Venezuela, we learn. But it does so under the auspices of Colombian paramilitary thugs ensconced there. 

It makes no sense that a U.S. government, if it were truly dedicated to no more drug dealing, would beat up on Venezuela’s government.

The U.S. government announcement of charges against President Maduro and colleagues mentions drug-trafficking collaboration between Venezuela’s government and a dissident faction of the former FARC insurgency in Colombia. Evidence has yet to materialize as to crimes committed by that group that are subject to U.S. law. Nor has the U.S. government made information available as to their numbers and impact.

From a humanitarian point of view, the U.S. government has obligations as regards Venezuela.  It should offer assistance aimed at slowing the spread in that country of the COVID 19 pandemic. It should end economic sanctions that cause suffering and even deaths. 

Lastly, the CPUSA calls for an end to efforts by the U.S. government to destabilize President Maduro’s government. It’s clear that the recently-announced criminal charges have that potential.  Our analysis indicates that the U.S. motivation in actions like this one is the return of Venezuelan oil reserves to the control of the United States and other powers. Were this not so, the U.S government might see the way to do the right thing, which is to allow President Maduro’s government to reach the accommodation it seeks with opposition forces within Venezuela.