As the United States and Colombia continue to make progress against traffickers in Colombia, Venezuela is picking up the demand by transporting cocaine from its territory. From the Boston Globe: The number of flights transporting tons of Colombian cocaine from Venezuela, destined for the United States, has risen sharply, according to US and foreign intelligence reports, presenting [...]

A suitcase with $800,000 in cash is at the center of a huge scandal for Venezuela President Hugo Chavez. From the Guardian: A suitcase filled with $800,000 in cash has embroiled Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez in a scandal which has fuelled claims of corruption and cover-up at the heart of his self-styled socialist revolution. A court case involving [...]

Last month, Venezuela agreed to send millions of barrels of oil to Colombia to curb the illegal smuggling of gas across the border.  From the AP (via IHT): Venezuela’s Oil Ministry plans to send Colombia’s Norte de Santander state at least 50,000 barrels (8 million liters) of oil a month starting Thursday and could double that supply, [...]

The war of words over drug trafficking is creating additional diplomatic problems between the United States and Venezuela.  From the AP (via Google News): President Hugo Chavez’s insistence that Venezuela doesn’t need U.S. help in fighting drug trafficking is raising diplomatic tensions as American officials warn of a surge in cocaine flights out of the country. New surveillance [...]

United States Drug Czar John Walters told the Associated Press that Venezuela is not taking steps to stop the flow of cocaine through its country. From the AP (via IHT): The U.S. drug czar appealed to Venezuela’s government on Friday to take action against the flourishing flow of cocaine being smuggled through the country. White House drug czar John [...]

Guerrilla group FARC is reported to be operating protection rackets on the border with Venezuela as they diversify their revenue generating streams. From the CS Monitor: Father Stephen Harney is accustomed to providing solace to his poor Venezuelan parishioners who struggle to survive. But these days its the middle-class and wealthy families forced to pay protection money [...]

Although Venezuela is estimated to produce 150,000 carets of diamonds annually, it has officially exported none since 2005. Source: Partnership Africa Canada, “The Lost World: Diamond Mining and Smuggling in Venezuela,” November 2006, pg. 1,(accessed: October 9, 2007).

The Washington Post reported last week on steps taken by Venezuela to crack down on its growing cocaine trade. Facing criticism that cocaine trafficking is out of control, Venezuela’s government this year has embarked on an aggressive program to track drug-smuggling planes and destroy clandestine airstrips used by Colombian drug clans, Venezuelan drug enforcement and military [...]

From the Washington Post: Colombian drug kingpins in league with corrupt Venezuelan military officers are increasingly using this country as a way station for smuggling cocaine to the United States and Europe, according to Colombian and U.S. officials. The Bush administration’s dismal relations with Venezuela’s government have made matters worse, anti-drug agencies say, paralyzing counternarcotics cooperation. Venezuela [...]

From the AFP: Rights campaigners Global Witness called Tuesday for Venezuela to be excluded from the international diamond market, accusing it of undermining the fight against trade in so-called blood diamonds. The group called on the European Commission to expel Venezuela for “flagrant non-compliance” with the Kimberley Process (KP), the regulatory system designed to prevent trade [...]