US puts $15m bounty on Venezuela President

[Eldorado]

"President Trump's administration is offering a $15 million reward for information that leads to the arrest of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, who was indicted by the United States Thursday on charges related to the regime's use of "cocaine as a weapon" against Americans.

""The Venezuelan people deserve a transparent, responsible, representative government that serves the needs of the people – and that does not betray the trust of the people by condoning or employing public officials that engage in illicit narcotics trafficking," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote in a bulletin touting the reward."

Full report at the Washington Examiner: Link

And the UK Times: Link

[+and-then]

A JDAM would be less expensive.

[quiXilver]

2 hours ago, Eldorado said:

"President Trump's administration is offering a $15 million reward for information that leads to the arrest of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, who was indicted by the United States Thursday on charges related to the regime's use of "cocaine as a weapon" against Americans.

""The Venezuelan people deserve a transparent, responsible, representative government that serves the needs of the people – and that does not betray the trust of the people by condoning or employing public officials that engage in illicit narcotics trafficking," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote in a bulletin touting the reward."

Full report at the Washington Examiner: Link

And the UK Times: Link

Translation.

 

Venezuela needs a government that does whatever America tells it to?

I find it interesting that of all the countries hit hardest by Corona... Trump made it a point to say "it is our moral obligation to provide Venezuela support during the corona virus."

 

I'm sure that Venezuela's vast oil reserves have nothing to do with it.

[odas]

30 minutes ago, quiXilver said:

Translation.

 

Venezuela needs a government that does whatever America tells it to?

I find it interesting that of all the countries hit hardest by Corona... Trump made it a point to say "it is our moral obligation to provide Venezuela support during the corona virus."

 

I'm sure that Venezuela's vast oil reserves have nothing to do with it.

And, I bet, Venezuelans will be be called terrorists, rapists...either very soon or once they call for control over their own oil. 

 

[Swede]

59 minutes ago, quiXilver said:

I'm sure that Venezuela's vast oil reserves have nothing to do with it.

As per the 2018 figures, the US was the fourth largest exporter of oil. Venezuela was 13th with ~1/3 of the US capacity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_oil_exports

Furthermore, as of October 23, 2019:

Briefly, in June, the U.S. eclipsed Saudi Arabia in monthly oil exports (as a result of a spike in shale production) before ceding the top spot to the longtime leader. Currently, the U.S. places third after Saudi Arabia and Russia, in terms of annual oil exports by country. However, the U.S. is expected to take over the runner-up spot from Russia, placing second in a list of all exporters on an annual basis by 2024, according to forecasts from the International Energy Agency.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/company-insights/082316/worlds-top-10-oil-exporters.asp

.

[+and-then]

2 hours ago, odas said:

And, I bet, Venezuelans will be be called terrorists, rapists...either very soon or once they call for control over their own oil.

 Venezuela's citizens live in misery and squalor.  They voted for a change of government and he cracked down and refused to step aside.  NOW he's made the mistake of continuing to allow Iran to build and expand its activities. Maduro needs to be removed by whatever means are least messy.  As much as Iran has been cozying up to him, I'm surprised the country isn't yet hard-hit by the pandemic.  As was pointed out, we hardly need his oil.  It'd be nice if he shared some of the wealth with his suffering people though.  Maybe fewer of them would feel the need to come here illegally.

[DarkHunter]

Besides from Maduro a $10 million dollar bounty has been put out for various members of his inner circle and apparently one of them, Cliver Alcala, has turned themself in to American authorities.

[aztek]

oil is dirt cheap these days, it is cheaper to buy than pay for regime change in a shthole, there has to be another reason, probably the same as it was in colombia in 80s,  the country was turning into a drug state,  drug war needs to continue,  a lot more money made that way

[odas]

1 hour ago, and then said:

 Venezuela's citizens live in misery and squalor.  They voted for a change of government and he cracked down and refused to step aside.  NOW he's made the mistake of continuing to allow Iran to build and expand its activities. Maduro needs to be removed by whatever means are least messy.  As much as Iran has been cozying up to him, I'm surprised the country isn't yet hard-hit by the pandemic.  As was pointed out, we hardly need his oil.  It'd be nice if he shared some of the wealth with his suffering people though.  Maybe fewer of them would feel the need to come here illegally.

I get that. No confusion about it. Maduro is a dictator. But. But. He is their, Venezuelans, dictator. They have to sort it out. It is not like Venezuela is attacked by a foreign ruthles dictatorian country. 

Now, USA, is doing what they always do. Mingle in someone elses busines. Depose one dictator and put up another one. At some point, some Venezuelens will hit back, one or the other way. And you will call them terrorists.

And Then, I understand that America needs to be on top. I said so many times that I side with USA even in times when I have to question my sanity for that. But. This is getting old. This politic is old. Overused. America has to come up with something new, les obvious and more efficient in the long run. 

[+and-then]

4 hours ago, odas said:

Mingle in someone elses busines.

I'd actually agree with you on this but for one fundamental reality in THIS case.  When a leader allies with a nation that is bent on harming America then we have every right to take him out.  NOT to dictate who replaces him.  Most Americans feel the same, IMO.  No one has a right to coordinate with our enemies in making harm possible and to do so with impunity.   Venezuela is actively working with both Russia and Iran to create turmoil for us here.

[odas]

13 hours ago, and then said:

I'd actually agree with you on this but for one fundamental reality in THIS case.  When a leader allies with a nation that is bent on harming America then we have every right to take him out.  NOT to dictate who replaces him.  Most Americans feel the same, IMO.  No one has a right to coordinate with our enemies in making harm possible and to do so with impunity.   Venezuela is actively working with both Russia and Iran to create turmoil for us here.

Fair enough. Now, put a bounty on Putin's head, since, obviously, he is the mastermind behind this. The US should, in this case, topple Putin and replace him with a US loving president. So why go after a small puppet in Venezuela and not after the big guy in Russia?

Is there something that stops you to actualy go after the biggest threat? Fear? Bigotry? 

 

[simplybill]

The US isn’t meddling in Venezuelan politics at this point, but Pres. Trump has certainly drawn a line in the sand. The Soleimani incident adds some weight to his words. Intervention may be unnecessary.

[aztek]

On 3/27/2020 at 7:28 PM, aztek said:

oil is dirt cheap these days, it is cheaper to buy than pay for regime change in a shthole, there has to be another reason, probably the same as it was in colombia in 80s,  the country was turning into a drug state,  drug war needs to continue,  a lot more money made that way

Maduro’s boasting ‘narconephews’ helped nail him on drug traffic charge.

.................... It was a statement that would not only seal their fate, but help expose the rank corruption of Maduro’s regime and lead to last week’s bombshell federal indictment in New York, charging the Venezuelan leader and members of his inner circle with drug trafficking and “narco-terrorism” against the United States...................

https://nypost.com/2020/03/28/maduros-boasting-narconephews-helped-nail-him-on-drug-traffic-charge/

 

that is why there is a bounty on his head