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Maduro

All articles tagged with #maduro

Saab pleads guilty to money laundering in US, cooperation could implicate Maduro
world23 days ago

Saab pleads guilty to money laundering in US, cooperation could implicate Maduro

Alex Saab, a former Venezuelan official and ally of Nicolás Maduro, pleaded guilty in a US court to money laundering, agreeing to forfeit $195 million and to fully cooperate with prosecutors; he could face up to 20 years in prison. The plea comes as Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores face trial in New York on weapon and drug charges, with Saab’s cooperation potentially signaling testimony against Maduro. Saab was extradited to the US in May by Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodríguez, and prosecutors allege he embezzled funds from a welfare program and routed proceeds to US bank accounts amid Venezuela's ongoing crisis.

via BBC|
#alex-saab#maduro#money-laundering
Saab pleads guilty in U.S. money-laundering case tied to Maduro regime
world24 days ago

Saab pleads guilty in U.S. money-laundering case tied to Maduro regime

Alex Saab, a longtime Maduro ally, pleaded guilty in a U.S. money-laundering case. Prosecutors say Saab acted as Maduro’s bag man, receiving payments in oil, gold and other resources. Saab told the court he takes daily medications for PTSD from his 2020 arrest, and he could be called as a witness against Maduro in related Manhattan drug prosecutions as U.S. sanctions push Venezuela’s dealings into new channels.

via apnews.com|
#alex-saab#maduro#money-laundering
Maduro ally Saab expected to plead guilty in U.S. money-laundering case
world24 days ago

Maduro ally Saab expected to plead guilty in U.S. money-laundering case

Alex Saab, a longtime Maduro ally, is set to plead guilty in a U.S. federal money‑laundering case. Prosecutors say Saab and associates used shell companies to bribe Maduro-era officials who controlled contracts tied to Venezuela’s CLAP program, steering billions in oil revenue and procurement deals away from Western banks. The investigation also touched internal politics, with Rodríguez distancing herself from Saab by removing him from her Cabinet and severing his ties to foreign investment conduits.

via AP News|
#corruption#maduro#money-laundering
Maduro fights US charges, citing sovereign immunity as head of state
world1 month ago

Maduro fights US charges, citing sovereign immunity as head of state

Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro asks a Manhattan federal judge to dismiss criminal drug-trafficking charges, arguing he enjoys sovereign immunity as head of state and cannot be prosecuted abroad. His lawyer, Barry Pollack, contends the court lacks jurisdiction and that the alleged acts would have been official duties, a challenge that tests long-standing international-law immunity. Maduro, who was abducted Jan 3 after a US raid in Caracas, remains in custody with a trial slated for June 1, 2027 if the motion fails; prosecutors have until Oct. 2 to respond, and a hearing is set for Nov. 17.

via Al Jazeera|
#immunity#international-law#maduro
The Caracas Tycoon Behind Trump's Venezuela Oil Gamble
politics1 month ago

The Caracas Tycoon Behind Trump's Venezuela Oil Gamble

Axios details how Alejandro Betancourt, a Caracas oil magnate with a long history of U.S. ties and legal scrutiny, has become central to a Pentagon‑backed plan to keep Venezuela’s oil flowing. The deal would grant Caracas roughly 16% to 40% of production and taxes, while the U.S. would hold a 35% equity stake and take 20% of after‑tax oil at production cost; Betancourt’s Blue Energy Partners would gain access to 17 fields, with U.S. officials backing the arrangement. The backstory includes Betancourt’s role as a go‑between in a proposed nonviolent transition, his past asset seizures and money‑laundering probes, and Maduro’s reconciliation that allowed his return. Critics call the plan unworkable and potentially kleptocratic, though supporters argue Betancourt is key to energy security.

via Axios|
#betancourt#maduro#oil-deal
Slimmed-down Maduro flashes peace sign behind bars in NYC jail photos
us-news1 month ago

Slimmed-down Maduro flashes peace sign behind bars in NYC jail photos

Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, pictured slimmer in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center jail photos, smiles and flashes a peace sign as he and wife Cilia Flores face U.S. charges that they used their leadership positions to help cartels ship thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States from 1999–2025; they have pleaded not guilty and the trial is set for June 2027.

via New York Post|
#drug-trafficking#maduro#nicolas-maduro
US-Venezuela oil deal promises access to vast reserves amid uncertainty
world1 month ago

US-Venezuela oil deal promises access to vast reserves amid uncertainty

AP reports a new arrangement giving the US access to Venezuela’s oil reserves, with a claimed 55% of the output for the US, but crucial details like the operator, who funds investments, and the exact ownership split remain unclear. Analysts caution the process will take years and face logistical, political, and market hurdles, while reactions in Venezuela and in Washington are mixed—some praise the potential gain, others decry it as a power play. Major oil players such as Chevron and Exxon declined comment.

via AP News|
#capitol-hill#maduro#oil-industry
Maduro’s U.S. drug trial officially scheduled for 2027 in Brooklyn
world2 months ago

Maduro’s U.S. drug trial officially scheduled for 2027 in Brooklyn

Judge Alvin Hellerstein set June 1, 2027, as the start of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores’s U.S. criminal trial on drug-trafficking charges, with the pair in a Brooklyn jail after a January raid; prosecutors say Maduro helped move cocaine into the United States in a conspiracy with Venezuelan authorities, while they have pleaded not guilty and face possible life sentences, and defense lawyers question the legality of their detention as protesters gather outside the courthouse.

via NBC News|
#brooklyn#cilia-flores#drug-trafficking
Public fury in Venezuela over government quake relief efforts
world2 months ago

Public fury in Venezuela over government quake relief efforts

Public anger over Venezuela's response to twin earthquakes that killed about 4,500 grows after a grieving mother berates Nicolás Maduro Guerra and critics say the rescue effort was bungled; officials defend the actions amid questions about building safety and the slow deployment of aid, while international involvement and comparisons to past leadership add to the tensions.

via The Guardian|
#earthquake#la-guaira#maduro
politics4 months ago

The Secret Drive to Soften Maduro Policy

POLITICO reveals a covert effort by Harry Sargeant III, Aaron Schock, investors and allied operatives to push the Trump administration toward easing sanctions on Venezuela and engaging Maduro to benefit U.S. oil interests, backed by influencer campaigns and behind-the-scenes lobbying; despite prisoner releases and Chevron licensing talks, intra‑administration rivalries, FBI scrutiny, and shifting policy under Marco Rubio undermined the bid, steering the administration toward a harder line on Venezuela and a complicated debt‑restructuring path rather than a successful policy pivot.

via Politico|
#grenell#influencers#maduro