Makled's Threat to the Venezuelan Regime

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez issued a broadcast from the Cuban capital Nov. 8 warning that the United States was launching a massive disinformation campaign against his regime through captured drug kingpin Walid Makled. Makled, who is currently being held by Colombia and is being requested for extradition by the United States, is very valuable to Bogota and potentially to Washington given the information he allegedly possesses on money-laundering and drug-trafficking connections to senior Venezuelan government members. His fate is still undetermined but could have significant implications for Venezuelan-Colombian relations, U.S.-Colombian relations and most important, the sustainability of the Chavez regime.