Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is in the crosshairs of the United States. The US has announced a reward of $50 million for his arrest. Maduro has been labeled the head of a drug trafficking ring, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claiming that Maduro facilitates the US drug trade. He is also accused of sending illegal Iranian immigrants to America.
This move by the US has surprised the world. The hefty reward of approximately 4 billion rupees for the arrest of a president has sparked various speculations. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ivan Gil has even called it nonsense. The US, however, did not announce such a large sum for Maduro’s capture without reason. The roots are believed to be deep-seated. It is also thought that Trump is taking revenge for actions committed 26 years ago by Maduro’s mentor.
**What happened 26 years ago?**
The conflict between Venezuela and the US began roughly 26 years ago. In 1999, Hugo Chavez took the helm of Venezuela. Immediately after becoming president, Chavez opened a front against the US. The tension escalated to the point where the US attempted a coup, but it was unsuccessful. It is said that Chavez sowed the seeds of the communist ideology that the US is troubled by. Subsequently, Chavez did not hold back and repeatedly used terms like ‘devil’ and ‘joker’ to describe American presidents.
**He first called Bush the devil**
After the increased tension 26 years ago, in 2006, the then-Venezuelan President Chavez strongly criticized the then-US President George W. Bush at the United Nations General Assembly. He called Bush the devil and said that he considered himself the owner of the world. Chavez said about Bush’s previous speech, ‘Yesterday the devil came here, and right here today there still smells of sulfur.’ According to an old report from the New York Times, after this, Chavez made the sign of the cross on himself in a prayerful gesture, clasped his hands, and looked towards the ceiling. Chavez then said, ‘I call the American President the devil, who came here and spoke as if he was the owner of the entire world.’
**Obama was called a joker**
Hugo did not stop there. In 2011, after being diagnosed with cancer and before going on his first foreign trip, he called Barack Obama a joker on December 20th. He said, ‘Pay attention to your administration, which you have turned into a disaster.’ Chavez used these words for Obama when the latter criticized Venezuela’s trade and political relations with Iran and Cuba. Chavez said, ‘Obama has decided to attack us. That is, they want to win votes by attacking Venezuela. He is a joker, let us live in peace and get votes by fulfilling the promises made.’
**Maduro is Chavez’s disciple**
Venezuelan President Maduro is considered to be a disciple of Chavez. He was one of Chavez’s most trusted confidants, in the government from 1999 to 2013. He served as his foreign minister for a long time and later became the vice president. In 2012, when Chavez had cancer, he clearly stated that if anything happened to him, Maduro should be chosen as the next president. After Chavez’s death in 2013, Maduro became the acting president and later became president by winning the election.