28 C
Willemstad
• vrijdag 29 maart 2024

Extra | Journaal 28 maart 2024

Elke werkdag het laatste nieuws van Extra, nu ook in het Nederlands. Bron: Extra

Democracy now! | Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Democracy Now! is a national, daily, independent, award-winning news program hosted by journalists Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. Democracy Now!’s War and Peace Report provides our audience...

Extra | Journaal 27 maart 2024

Elke werkdag het laatste nieuws van Extra, nu ook in het Nederlands. Bron: Extra

Democracy now! | Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Democracy Now! is a national, daily, independent, award-winning news program hosted by journalists Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. Democracy Now!’s War and Peace Report provides our audience...

Extra | Journaal 26 maart 2024

Elke werkdag het laatste nieuws van Extra, nu ook in het Nederlands. Bron: Extra

Democracy now! | Monday, March 25, 2024

Democracy Now! is a national, daily, independent, award-winning news program hosted by journalists Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. Democracy Now!’s War and Peace Report provides our audience...
- Advertisement -spot_img

TSKANO | Imprisoned Caracas mayor flees as Maduro offers US help in Drug War

HomeMediaTSKANO | Imprisoned Caracas mayor flees as Maduro offers US help in...

The St Kitts and Nevis Observer

Top Venezuelan officials including Vice President Tareck El Aissami (red) and Interior Minister Nestor Reverol (right) have been blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury on allegations they have helped move drugs from neighboring Colombia into North America.

Caracas – Ousted Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma said he planned to take his fight against Venezuela’s socialist government to Europe after he escaped house arrest and fled to Colombia Friday.

The escape was an apparent embarrassment for security forces who had been keeping close watch over one of Venezuela’s most prominent opposition leaders.

“I’m more useful fighting for Venezuela’s democracy abroad than I am as a hostage at my home,” said Ledezma minutes before boarding a Madrid-bound plane.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose top political allies have been accused by Washington of dealing in illegal narcotics offered to help U.S. President Donald Trump in fighting the drug trade.

Top Venezuelan officials including Vice President Tareck El Aissami and Interior Minister Nestor Reverol have been blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury on allegations they have helped move drugs from neighboring Colombia into North America.

‘President Trump, if you really want to fight drug trafficking that has destroyed U.S. youth and filled the country with drugs from Colombia, you have an ally in me,’ Maduro said in a televised broadcast. ‘Come find out about our experience, we can join forces.’

As for Ledezma, he said the decision to flee Venezuela was his alone, kept secret even from his family, which has been living abroad.

He provided no details of how he sneaked past the Sebin intelligence police officers stationed 24 hours a day outside his residence, but said that during the long, nighttime drive past several national guard checkpoints to Venezuela’s western border, he relied on the help of members of the security forces he described as increasingly fed up with President Nicolas Maduro.

“This decision I took consulting only my conscience,” he said, adding that he had spoken by phone to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, who offered his support.

As Venezuelans were waking up to the news of Ledezma’s escape and resurfacing in Colombia, several heavily armed police officers surrounded his residence in Caracas.

Ledezma, 62, was removed as mayor of Caracas and detained in 2015 on charges of plotting to oust Maduro. After a few months in jail he was released and placed under house arrest due to health issues.

Bron: The St Kitts and Nevis Obeserver

Geef een reactie

Vul alstublieft uw commentaar in!
Vul hier uw naam in

Zoeken

Recente reacties