The Minister of Defense of Venezuela, Vladimir Padrino López, demanded this Tuesday, on behalf of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), the release of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were arrested two months ago by the United States in a military operation in Caracas and neighboring areas.
In his Telegram channel, Padrino López indicated that, despite Venezuela having "opened a new stage of struggle marked by diplomacy with the U.S.", the "wounds can only be healed" with the release of Maduro and Flores, as well as with the "lifting of all U.S. sanctions".
"Venezuela deserves to embark on a path of prosperity and happiness, amidst democratic processes and national reconciliation that guarantee the peace and stability of the homeland. The FANB will always be here to contribute to these sublime purposes," stated the military leader.
Following Maduro's capture, Delcy Rodríguez, who served as Executive Vice President, assumed the role of interim President of Venezuela and reestablished relations with the United States. Both countries now speak of fluid cooperation, although the Venezuelan government has stated that its rapprochement with the U.S. is for the liberation of Maduro and his wife, who remain imprisoned in New York.
Maduro is accused of four charges: three for conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, to import cocaine, and to possess machine guns and destructive devices, and a fourth charge for possession of these weapons.
Flores, for her part, is accused of four other charges related to her husband's: two for conspiracy to import cocaine, one for conspiracy to possess weapons, and one for possession of weapons.
Last Thursday, Maduro requested through his lawyer, Barry Pollack, that the narcotics and corruption case against him in the United States be dismissed after the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) denied him a license to pay for his defense with Venezuelan funds.
Both Maduro and the Venezuelan government are subject to U.S. sanctions, so the lawyer requested a license from OFAC to receive funds for his defense work, which was granted on January 9, but less than three hours later the agency issued an amended license blocking the transaction, as denounced by the attorney.
