translated from Spanish: U.S. accuses Tareck El Aissami, Executive Vicepresident of Venezuela and Minister of industry, of violating the sanctions imposed for alleged drug trafficking

This Friday, the United States Government announced criminal charges against Tareck El Aissami, the Executive Vicepresident of Venezuela and current Vice President economical.
El Aissami, a key figure in the Government of Nicolas Maduro, was accused of violating the sanctions imposed by Washington two years ago for his alleged involvement with drug trafficking.
In a statement, the US Department of Justice said that El Aissami and the Venezuelan businessman Samark José Bello López evaded sanctions to use private aircraft supplied by undertakings established in the United States.
“El Aissami and beautiful Lopez allegedly used private jets to meetings private around the world, including Turkey and Russia”, specified the special agent of the Department of national security, Angel M. Melendez.
Trump Government has increased pressure on the Government of Nicolás Maduro.” It is necessary to impose sanctions on foreign persons seeking to gain power and control to evade the law (…). Both El Aissami and Bello López will have to think twice before leaving Venezuela, since it seeks them so that they face justice in New York,”he warned.
Authorities detailed that the designated travel also include the return from Russia to Venezuela on February 23.
“Important role in drug trafficking” the United States Government included in its list of “drug lords” Tareck El Aissami in 2017.
The sanctions were imposed under the so-called Kingpin Act, enacted in December 1999 to block the efforts of individuals or organizations suspected of being linked to drug trafficking abroad and which is popularly known as “Clinton list”.
Then said the US Treasury Department, their inclusion in the list was due to the “important role” El Aissami “in international traffic in narcotics”.
El Aissami (left) with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara in February of this year.” Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah has held key positions in the Government of Venezuela (…). He used his position of power to get involved in the international drug trade, which earned him the designation of specially-designated narcotics trafficker, along with his partner Samark López Bello”, said Friday the Justice Department in its release.
Both El Aissami and Bello López, 44, were accused of five charges of evading sanctions and violating the Kingpin Act. Each of these charges may be a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
In 2017, El Aissami did not hesitate to react to the accusation of the United States.
“The infamy and imperialist aggression: 1 – MORAL intact.” 2. better FIRMNESS and anti-imperialist conviction. 3. awareness CHAVISTA! “, wrote on Twitter then.”
“Personally I get this miserable and infamous aggression as a recognition of my condition of anti-imperialist revolutionary!” We shall overcome”, he added.
The crisis in Venezuela these new charges occur in the midst of the growing social and political crisis in Venezuela, after the opposition leader Juan Guaidó is juramentra as”President” of the country in defiance of the Government of Nicolas Maduro.
After proclaiming himself in front of a crowd in Caracas on January 23, US immediately supported their cause and Maduro considered it was an attempted coup d ‘ état orchestrated by Washington.
Since then, more than 50 countries around the world recognized guided as Acting President and U.S. raised pressure on the Government of Maduro.
In late January, Washington announced sanctions to the State oil company of Venezuela, PDVSA, which provides vital revenue to the country.
According to US, those revenues are used by Maduro and his Government for corrupt purposes and to maintain the control of the Government.
Mature quickly reacted to the sanctions announced against PDVSA, calling them “illegal, unilateral, immoral and criminal”.

Original source in Spanish