The Colombian Border Is One of the Biggest Obstacles to Building a New Venezuela

The Colombian border may be the largest obstacle to rebuilding Venezuela. Here’s why

There are two main armed groups along the border and over time, they’ve have often collaborated, turning a porous frontier into a shared operating space

The Colombian border is one of the biggest obstacles to building a new Venezuela

Since American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, plunging the country into uncertainty, there have been hopes for a transition to democracy, the stabilization of its economy, a reduction in drug trafficking and conditions that might allow millions of Venezuelans abroad to return home. But one factor will impede efforts at stabilizing the country: Venezuela’s hard-to-control border with Colombia, a shadow security zone that ser…

From Noriega to Maduro: The Long US History of Kidnapping Foreign Leaders - The Ron Paul Institute for Peace & Prosperity

While it has undoubtedly shocked the world, the Trump administration’s abduction of President Nicolás Maduro fits into a long history of United States kidnapping of foreign leaders. On January 3, U.S. Special Forces entered Venezuela by air, captured Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, killing around 80 people in the process. They were flown to the United States, where Maduro was put on trial on spurious drug trafficking and possession of firear…