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Monday, October 3, 2022

Drug Trafficking Nephews of Venezuelan President Maduro Released During US Prisoner Exchange for Oil Executives

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


Venezuela has freed seven jailed Americans in exchange for the release of two relatives of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the two countries have confirmed. Flores de Freitas and Campos Flores were arrested in Haiti in November 2015 by undercover US Drug Enforcement agents.

The swap included five American oil executives, US officials said. The Americans were exchanged for two of Mr. Maduro's wife's nephews, who were serving 18-year sentences in the US on drug charges, the officials said. Venezuela said two men "unjustly" held in the US were freed. It added that a group of US citizens was released for "humanitarian reasons".

The swap included executives of Venezuela's US-based oil company, Citgo, in addition to US Marine veteran Matthew Heath and another American citizen named Osman Khan, US officials said. The oil executives - Tomeu Vadell, Jose Luis Zambrano, Alirio Zambrano, Jorge Toledo, and Jose Pereira - were jailed five years ago, after being summoned to a meeting in Caracas, where they were charged with terrorism.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that the "wrongfully detained" Americans would soon be reunited with their relatives. "Today, we celebrate that seven families will be whole once more. To all the families who are still suffering and separated from their loved ones who are wrongfully detained - know that we remain dedicated to securing their release," he added.

In exchange for their freedom, President Biden agreed to release two nephews of Venezuela's first lady, Cilia Flores. Franqui Flores and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores were arrested in Haiti in 2015, then taken to New York where they were convicted of drug charges. Ms. Flores is a member of Venezuela's powerful constituent assembly and served as speaker of the National Assembly between 2006 and 2011.

The Venezuelan government said in a statement that the "release of two young Venezuelans unjustly imprisoned in that country has been achieved". A US official said the swap happened at an airport in an unspecified third country. For many years, the US has accused Mr. Maduro of leading a left-wing dictatorship.

The released US prisoners are nephews of Venezuela's First Lady, wife of President Maduro.

The Biden administration has recently sent envoys to reopen dialogue with Venezuela. Critics say the change of policy was triggered by the invasion of Ukraine and the US determination to reduce dependence on Russian oil.

Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas, 32, and Efraín Antonio Campo Flores, 31 were accused of conspiring to smuggle 1,700 pounds (800kg) of cocaine into the United States. Venezuela has accused the US of kidnapping the two men and framing them in order to undermine Mr. Maduro's socialist government. 

Prosecutors said the men were in Haiti making arrangements to smuggle cocaine from South America to the US via Honduras. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of 30 years, which US District Judge Paul Crotty in New York said "would be excessive" as they had no criminal record.

The two men denied the charges before they were convicted by a jury in November 2016. They said in court that the alleged plot "could never actually have been executed". Before Judge Crotty announced the sentence, Flores de Freitas and Campos Flores asked for a shorter sentence.

"I've always been a good person," said Flores de Freitas. "Even in jail, I tried to help those who were in a worse psychological situation than I find myself in."

The case had caused further damage to already strained relations between the US and Venezuela. US President Donald Trump had imposed sanctions on Mr. Maduro and other senior Venezuelan officials for alleged human rights violations. A wave of anti-government protests in Venezuela left more than 120 people dead in just half a year.

Mr. Maduro has accused the US of leading a relentless campaign to destabilize left-wing governments in Venezuela and other Latin American countries. He said the US was effectively imposing an "economic blockade" on Venezuela, which has for years suffered from high inflation, rampant violence, and a shortage of basic goods.

Sources BBC, BBC

35 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. 006 been real busy lately.

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  3. Very interesting article I wondered what happen to those guys. Now I know. Thanks.

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  4. With a name like "Flores de Freitas" there's just got to be some f..... things in your life that will occur intermittently.

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  5. Replies
    1. Mr.T
      Is in a heap of trouble.
      He is trying hard, but not winning.

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    2. Taking a break from making threats to law enforcement officers?

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    3. 9:34 When it comes to being a criminal, Maduro le queda muuuy chiquito al Trumpanzee

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    4. 10:05 Trumpanzee was an idiot on hes speech that cost him reelection with a rising on hate crimes during his administration. But on the practice, he was aiming to solve internal issues rather than intervene on expensive external affairs. People didnt vote for Biden, they mostly voted against Trump, which is different.

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    5. 12:02 poor José Biden, he was running just for the hell of it, for the fame, affraid to wake up, and still beat the motherfacker, the proud boys and the Oats Keepers

      Delete
  6. Their story is briefly mentioned on narcos the next generation on mational geographic channel. One deal and they got busted. Thats not a narco trafficker.

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    Replies
    1. 😒. Trafficking hundreds of kilos of coca definitely makes any person a narcotraficante

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    2. 8:33 its more or less about the connect to Maduro aka cartel del soles

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    3. They did not traffic they got busted the on their first try the coke wasnt theirs either they just came up with the plan to use a jet taking off from Venezuela best airport. Watch drug lords the new generation wherever national geographic shows are being streamed.

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  7. What the US government did is NO DIFFERENT than what AMLO did during the Culiacanazo, exchanging a narcotrafficker for the safety of others.

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    Replies
    1. 9:06 I can't really argue this statement

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    2. 9:06
      You don't make sense.
      Could this be lil nuts Truther?

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    3. 9:06 with all due respect:
      AMLO did not entrap the Chapitos or certified a spurious Presidente de los US like Guaidó and the invading goons and mercenaries that tried to pull a Castro/ Guevarian invasion of Venezuela but got caught by the Militias, Maduro is ready to work with the US, but the Blockade will have to stop, it is all venezuela got for its 100 year concession to US Oil Corps, and the US confiscated Venezuelan owned CITGO amd the poverty left behind.

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    4. 9:06 What a dumb comparison...

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  8. Only reason the president's nephew got jail time is because Venezuela is communist with not much power or any ties with US of A.
    Imagine if Mexico government had no ties with US government?
    THERE WOULD BE LOTS OF THOSE PS locked up too!!

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    Replies
    1. How good it's to have breakfast in bed.

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    2. 9:31 Enjoy your sausage, but wash yourself when done.

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  9. A raw deal for the USA.

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  10. The US has agents that traffic drugs all over the world, Venezuela tries to make a little dope money and it’s a big deal.. US just wants to overthrow maduro, replace him with US backed leader and have access to the oil deposits. #IranContra #OperationFastandFurious

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    Replies
    1. Another one that is Paranoid, oh the US is there to steal Venezuelas oil, give me a break, they buy the oil.

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    2. 8:23 There are other Datos...
      On the other hand, I doubt there is a lot of money to be made in Haiti from Drug trafficking, unless the Ton-Ton Macutes are back in business middlemanning the transfering throughout the caribbean islands.

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    3. 10:18 Couple years ago there was this leader in Haiti who declared something about money laundering with "help" sent for recovery, handled by Clinton that ended up US companies. They left "hospitals" without equipment, just empty buildings... Also a scandal related to bodies without organs and blue helmets had something to do with it. Two days later this Doctor was found dead with a knife on his stomach.

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    4. 11:57
      He is dead.
      Columbian merceries were hired to kill him.

      Delete
    5. 2:44 That happened later, and was the president of Haiti.

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    6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    7. 5:01 He is Dead, he is dead.

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    8. 11:38 Ok middle school student.

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    9. At 3:33
      Please at least tell him his spirit is alive.
      He has been crying all night.

      Delete
  11. Very very interesting current events, thanks BB!! From the USA with love

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  12. 07:47 they are trying to catch a meth submarine but still haven’t found one. The NAVY has too much cocaine and not enough meth and fentanyl.

    ReplyDelete

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