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Cartel of the Suns

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Cartel de los Soles
The group's name from the "sun" insignia of Venezuelan generals.
Years active1990s – present
TerritoryVenezuela
ActivitiesDrug trafficking, arms trafficking, money laundering
Allies

The term Cartel of the Suns (Spanish: Cartel de los Soles) describes a Venezuelan organization allegedly headed by high-ranking members of the Armed Forces of Venezuela who are involved in international drug trade.[1] According to Héctor Landaeta, journalist and author of Chavismo, Narco-trafficking and the Military, the phenomenon began when Colombian drugs began to enter into Venezuela from corrupt border units and that the "rot moved its way up the ranks".[2]

History

Further information: Illegal drug trade in Venezuela

Reports that members of the Venezuelan military were involved in drug trafficking began in the 1990s, though it was limited to taking payments and ignoring drug traffickers. It was alleged that officers of Hugo Chávez's Revolutionary Bolivarian Movement-200 that planned the 1992 Venezuelan coup d'état attempts had created a group that participated in drug trafficking that was known as the "Cartel Bolivariano". In 1993, the term Cartel de los Soles or Cartel of the Suns was first used when allegations of two National Guard generals, who wore emblems that looked like suns on their uniforms, were investigated for drug trafficking crimes.[1]

The "Cartel of the Suns" name returned in 2004 by reporter and city council member Mauro Marcano. Shortly before he was murdered, Marcano alleged that Alexis Maneiro, head of the National Guard and the Dirección General de Inteligencia Militar were involved in drug trafficking.[1]

Bolivarian government

According to Vice News, the Bolivarian government under Hugo Chavez expanded corruption to "unprecedented levels" in an already corrupt military.[3] Chavez gave military officials millions of dollars for social programs that allegedly disappeared, also giving legal immunity to drug trafficking officials to maintain power and loyalty.[3] When Chavez ousted the United States Drug Enforcement Administration in 2005, Venezuela became a more attractive route for drug trade.[3] According to Colombian intelligence, an arrested drug vigilante stated that "senior figures in President Hugo Chavez's security forces to arrange drug shipments through Venezuela".[4] It has been alleged that the National Guard had worked with the FARC with drug trade.[5] British officials alleged that planes from Colombia would also be sheltered by Venezuelan Air Force bases.[4]

Incidents

In September 2013, an incident allegedly linked to the Cartel of the Suns and involving men from the Venezuelan National Guard who placed 31 suitcases containing 1.3 tons of cocaine on a Paris flight astonished French authorities as it was the largest seizure of cocaine recorded in mainland France.[3][6] On 15 February 2014, a commander for the Venezuelan National Guard was stopped while driving to Valencia with his family and was arrested for having 554 kilos of cocaine in his possession.[7] On 11 November 2015, DEA agents arrested two relatives (an adopted son and a nephew) of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro while trying to move 800 kilograms of cocaine from Venezuela to the USA, a source from DEA stated unofficially that there is no way that the huge amount of cocaine that passes through Venezuela does it without high levels of corruption in the government.[8]

Organization

There are groups within the branches of the Armed Forces of Venezuela such as the Venezuelan Army, Venezuelan Navy, Venezuelan Air Force, and Venezuelan National Guard; from the lowest to the highest levels of personnel.[1]

Low level personnel

Allegedly, lower ranking National Guardsmen compete for positions at border checkpoints so they can be paid bribes for "illicit trade", though a large portion of bribes go to their superiors.[9] Allegedly, the corrupt officials of the Cartel of the Suns traffic drugs from Colombia to Venezuela where they are shipped internationally.[10]

High level officials

Diosdado Cabello

In January 2015, the former security chief of both Hugo Chavez and Diosdado Cabello, Leamsy Salazar, made accusations that Cabello was head of the Cartel of the Suns.[11][12] Salazar was placed in witness protection, fleeing to the United States with assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Special Operations Division after cooperating with the administration and providing possible details on Cabello's involvement with international drug trade.[11] Salazar stated that he saw Cabello give orders on transporting tons of cocaine.[12] The shipments of drugs were reportedly sent from the FARC in Colombia to the United States and Europe, with the possible assistance of Cuba.[11][12] The alleged international drug operation had possibly involved other senior members of Venezuela's government as well, such as Tarek El Aissami and José David Cabello, Diosdado's brother.[11][12]

Hugo Carvajal

Hugo Carvajal is allegedly one of the leaders of the Cartel of the Suns.[13] On July 22, 2014, Hugo Carvajal, former head of Venezuelan military-intelligence, was detained in Aruba, despite having been admitted on a diplomatic passport and being named consul general to Aruba in January.[14][15][16] The arrest was carried out following a formal request by the U.S. government, which accuses Carvajal of ties to drug trafficking and to the FARC guerrilla group.[17][18] On July 27, Carvajal was released after authorities decided he had diplomatic immunity, but was also considered persona non grata.[19][20][21]

Allies

FARC

Main article: Corruption in Venezuela § FARC

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) accused Chavez's government of funding FARC's Caracas office and giving it access to intelligence services. Venezuelan diplomats denounced the IISS' findings saying that they had "basic inaccuracies".[22] In 2007, authorities in Colombia claimed that through laptops they had seized on a raid against Raul Reyes, they found documents purporting to show that Hugo Chávez offered payments of as much as $300 million to the FARC "among other financial and political ties that date back years" and documents showing the FARC rebels sought Venezuelan assistance in acquiring surface-to-air missiles, and alleging that Chavez met personally with rebel leaders.[23][24][25] According to Interpol, the files found by Colombian forces were considered to be authentic.[26] In 2008, the United States Department of Treasury accused two senior Venezuelan government officials and one former official of providing material assistance for drug-trafficking operations carried out by the FARC guerrilla group in Colombia.[27]

However, independent analyses of the documents by a number of U.S. academics and journalists have challenged the Colombian interpretation of the documents, accusing the Colombian government of exaggerating their contents.[28][29] In 2008, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Jose Miguel Insulza, testified before the U.S. Congress that "there are no evidences" that Venezuela is supporting "terrorist groups", including the FARC.[30]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Cartel de los Soles". InSightCrime. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  2. ^ Wyss, Jim (27 January 2015). "Venezuela's Maduro calls reports that Cabello faces drug charges 'vulgar'". Miami Herald. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d al-Ameri, Alaa (31 March 2014). "Venezuela's Drug-Running Generals May Be Who Finally Ousts Maduro". Vice News. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  4. ^ a b McDermott, Jeremy (19 July 2007). "Venezuela is key link for the drug smugglers". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  5. ^ Mario Cárdenas, Hugo (23 July 2007). "FF.AA. venezolanas tienen cartel propio". El Pais. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  6. ^ Meza, Alfredo (26 September 2013). "Corrupt military officials helping Venezuela drug trade flourish". El Pais. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  7. ^ Sanchez, Nora (15 February 2014). "Detienen a comandante de la Milicia con cargamento de drogas". El Universal. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  8. ^ http://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2015/11/11/autoridades-de-ee-uu-detienen-a-dos-familiares-de-la-primera-dama-de-venezuela/
  9. ^ "VIOLENCE AND POLITICS IN VENEZUELA" (PDF). Report. International Crisis Group. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  10. ^ "'Every last gram of cocaine is soaked with innocent blood'". The Scotsman. 14 May 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  11. ^ a b c d Maria Delgado, Antonio (26 January 2015). "Identifican a Diosdado Cabello como jefe del Cartel de los Soles". El Nuevo Herald. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  12. ^ a b c d Blasco, Emili J. (27 January 2015). "El jefe de seguridad del número dos chavista deserta a EE.UU. y le acusa de narcotráfico". ABC. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  13. ^ Mogollon, Mery; Kraul, Chris (24 July 2014). "Former Venezuelan intelligence chief arrested on U.S. drug charges". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  14. ^ "Aruba detains Venezuelan general on US drug trafficking list". BBC News. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  15. ^ Neuman, William (24 July 2014). "Former Venezuelan Intelligence Chief Arrested in Aruba". New York Times. New York Times. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  16. ^ Kejal Vyas & Juan Forero (24 July 2014). "Retired Venezuelan General Hugo Carvajal Detained on U.S. Petition". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  17. ^ "Aruba releases Venezuelan ex-general wanted in U.S." CNN. CNN. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  18. ^ "Treasury Targets Venezuelan Government Officials Supporting the FARC". U.S. Department of the Treasury. 12 September 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  19. ^ "Cómo explica Holanda la liberación del general venezolano Hugo Carvajal". BBC Mundo. BBC News. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  20. ^ "Netherlands Says Venezuelan Detained in Aruba Has Immunity". Wall Street Journal. 27 July 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  21. ^ "Aruba frees Venezuelan diplomat wanted in US on drugs charges". Deutsche Welle. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  22. ^ Martinez, Michael (10 May 2011). "Study: Colombian rebels were willing to kill for Venezuela's Chavez". CNN. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  23. ^ Padgett, Tim (3 September 2008). "Chávez and the Cash-Filled Suitcase". TIME. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  24. ^ "FARC files 'show ties to Chavez'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  25. ^ "Colombia: Chavez funding FARC rebels". USA Today. 4 March 2008. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  26. ^ Forero, Juan (16 May 2008). "FARC Computer Files Are Authentic, Interpol Probe Finds". Washington Post. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  27. ^ "Treasury Targets Venezuelan Government Officials Supporting the FARC". Press Release. United States Department of Treasury. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  28. ^ Palast, Greg (16 May 2008). "$300 MILLION FROM CHAVEZ TO FARC A FAKE". Tomaine.com/Ourfuture.org. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  29. ^ "Interpol Analysis of FARC Laptop Authenticity Will Not "Prove" Links Between Venezuela, Rebels". derechos.org. 25 April 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
  30. ^ "OAS' INSULZA: THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF VENEZUELAN SUPPORT TO TERRORISTS". El Universal. 10 April 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2014.
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