Mafia state in Venezuela: what weight do the illegal companies in the obstinacy of Nicolás Maduro not to leave the power

Venezuela is going through one of the biggest political crises of recent years, after the National Assembly, controlled by the opposition and supported by growing popular discontent, decided to take the initiative. With the swearing in as interim president of Juan Guaidóand the following cataract of international support (which started with the United States and ended with the European Union, going through almost all the democracies of the world), the country has entered a dead end it probably does not last too long. The few relevant supporters – Russia, China and Iran – added to the inestimable silence of Pope Francis, could not avoid the situation of The virtual isolation that weighs on Nicolás Maduro's regime.

Hugo Chávez's obstinacy in leaving this power, in this overall unfavorable image, opens up a question: What is so strongly holding the government of a country whose population rejects it, with an army convulsed by desertions and a party more and more tempted by betrayals?

Several specialists agree on a diagnosis: Venezuela has become, in recent years, a mafia state, which may well be the last and true reason why Maduro still holds power.

Almost a year ago, the organization InSight Crime He published a comprehensive report in which he explores the reasons for this phenomenon after three years of work on the part of the Venezuelan Investigative Unit and the Colombian Organized Crime Observatory. Penetration of organized crime in the state, elements of kleptocracy, delegation of power in the hands of parapublic actors, exponential growth of crime, high rate of violence, export of crime to other countries and strong international condemnation are the arguments of the researchers for the diagnosis of the situation in the Caribbean country.

The first element, but linked to almost all others, is the deep penetration of organized crime at all levels of the state, as evidenced by at least 123 government representatives involved in illicit activities. The most important phenomenon in relation to this point is the emergence and strengthening of Poster of suns, baptized thus by the golden stars of the uniform of the generals of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), with which maintains deep bonds.

"When we talk about what supports today Nicolás Maduro, with the people and the whole international community and against us, we are talking only about drug trafficking and armed forces. Oh surprise! These are deeply linked to the cartel soles, "he said. Infobae the journalist Eleonora Bruzual, about the criminal circle that surrounds the regime.

According to Bruzual, now that there are international actions for Nicolás Maduro can no longer mobilize reserves of gold or money from PDVSA abroad, the resources of drug trafficking have become essential, and the State of the Mafia He became a centerpiece of the sustaining power.

"The trThe Venezuelan age has at least one positive aspect: the world has understood that this it's a criminal regime. You can not talk about a perfectible democracy, it's a regime of criminals. For example, we have a huge border with Colombia. Who manages the drug trafficking there? Well, the FARC and the ELN, Maduro's allies and, coincidentally, are also financed by drug trafficking, "he said.

For his part, the lawyer and the politician Enrique Aristeguieta GramckoHe explained to Infobae the links between drug trafficking and the leaders of the armed forces in the current situation. "Organized crime is tied and deeply rooted in the government, in the midst of the chaos in which the regime is plunged. Drug trafficking has taken everything. For this reason, the defeat of Maduro will be a blow for them, who are convinced that their survival is at stake, "he said.

Venezuelan Drug Trafficking: The Cartel of Los Soles

According to the aforementioned report of Insight Crime, many Chavan government officials have been involved in criminal activities and, paradoxically, Nicolás Maduro chose to give them more and more relevant places, instead of moving them. It may be a survival instinct: you may think that as long as these companies last, these characters will be the most loyal weapons of the regime.

The size of the narco-state is demonstrated in Venezuela by the rank of two of the officials involved: the former president of the National Assembly and the power in the shadows, Diosdado Cabelloand the former vice president, Tareck El Aissami.

In the first case, he is one of the most influential personalities in the regime, both in the appointment of government officials and in his power within the Army, all of which makes it an almost unavoidable part of the government plan. . drug trafficking within Venezuelan power. The Wall Street Journal He indicated Cabello, indeed, as chief of the Poster of suns, based on the evidence provided by Leasmy Salazar, who was part of his security team.

In regards to Tareck El AissamiJustice has also investigated illegal activities. Before holding the position of Vice President (2017-2018) EAissami had been governor of the state of Aragua, a strategic province of the Caribbean coast.

It also weighs on the diet the case of the so-called the narcosobrines, who have already been convicted in the United States for drug trafficking and who revealed that they were taking drugs in planes taking off from the airport terminal reserved for the president.

InSight Crime makes in your report a tour of the development of drug trafficking in Venezuela, in which the role played by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Chavez government's decision to dismantle and expel the Drug Control Administration (DEA) for its English acronym stand out.

"Although the FARC demobilized in 2017 after signing a peace agreement with the Colombian government, There is still a growing number of dissident elements in Venezuela, very much involved in drug trafficking. These elements are thought to continue to work with members of the Soles cartel, "the document explains.

Organized crime and Venezuelan crisis

But What about organized crime now, in a box of deep uncertainty that could spell a hinge in the Venezuelan situation?

"In fact, the level of uncertainty is such in Venezuela that an absolutely chaotic situation has developed in all points of view.Unfortunately, this structure of disorder and chaos has become an opportunity for delinquency, both organized and unorganized, "he explained to Infobae specialist Samuel Yecutieli, citizen security consultant and president of Segured.com.

According to him, a change of political scene in Venezuela will force delinquency to reinvent itself, in what will surely not be a fast process. "In the case of a regime change, I think the crime is very dynamic and very agile, it will quickly try to reinvent itself, but it will be a process because this government was 20 years old, and The dismantling of badembled machines will be complex. The transition will be long and difficult, and could bring even more chaos. Although, once I start, I am convinced that the crime is going to take a hard blow"Yecutieli detailed.