Roger Carstens, the top American hostage negotiator in both Trump and Biden administrations, has spent years trying to bring down Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. The U.S. finally succeeded in capturing and arresting Maduro yesterday, and he is now facing trial on drug trafficking charges along with his wife.
Carstens, who freed 65 Americans unjustly held in countries including Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, described Maduro as a "practical person" who wanted to solve problems, rather than a blood-thirsty maniac. He said that while there were certainly crimes committed by the regime, he didn't find Maduro to be a hardened drug trafficker.
The capture of Maduro was the result of a long-running investigation led by Sandy Gonzalez, a former DEA agent who spent 25 years investigating high-level drug trafficking in Venezuela. The indictment against Maduro accused him of being part of a massive conspiracy that involved state-sponsored narco-terrorism.
However, Carstens warned that the real challenge is yet to come: finding and rescuing the remaining Americans still held prisoner by the Venezuelan government. He said it would be difficult to rescue them without knowing their exact location, but emphasized that the U.S. should try to work with the new government, led by Maduro's loyal vice president Delcy Rodriguez.
The Biden administration has vowed to continue working towards regime change in Venezuela, while also cracking down on drug trafficking and other crimes committed by the Maduro regime. But critics, including Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, are questioning whether the U.S. is moving too quickly towards chaos without a clear plan for what comes next.
As Carstens noted, the key to success will be finding ways to work together with the new government, while also addressing the pressing issues of law enforcement and regime change. "This is a time for trying to solve problems," he said, passing on his message to Delcy Rodriguez and her brother.
Carstens, who freed 65 Americans unjustly held in countries including Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, described Maduro as a "practical person" who wanted to solve problems, rather than a blood-thirsty maniac. He said that while there were certainly crimes committed by the regime, he didn't find Maduro to be a hardened drug trafficker.
The capture of Maduro was the result of a long-running investigation led by Sandy Gonzalez, a former DEA agent who spent 25 years investigating high-level drug trafficking in Venezuela. The indictment against Maduro accused him of being part of a massive conspiracy that involved state-sponsored narco-terrorism.
However, Carstens warned that the real challenge is yet to come: finding and rescuing the remaining Americans still held prisoner by the Venezuelan government. He said it would be difficult to rescue them without knowing their exact location, but emphasized that the U.S. should try to work with the new government, led by Maduro's loyal vice president Delcy Rodriguez.
The Biden administration has vowed to continue working towards regime change in Venezuela, while also cracking down on drug trafficking and other crimes committed by the Maduro regime. But critics, including Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, are questioning whether the U.S. is moving too quickly towards chaos without a clear plan for what comes next.
As Carstens noted, the key to success will be finding ways to work together with the new government, while also addressing the pressing issues of law enforcement and regime change. "This is a time for trying to solve problems," he said, passing on his message to Delcy Rodriguez and her brother.
. dont know what to make of Carstens saying that Maduro is a "practical person" tho... sounds like someone trying to justify things to me 
. anyway, glad the US was able to finally take action against him. but now they gotta deal with the real challenge: freeing the other American hostages 
. hope they figure out a way to work with the new gov without making things worse. dont wanna see another Venezuela crisis on our hands 
Just thinking about this Maduro situation makes me wonder if we're really prepared for what's coming next 
. The US has been playing this cat-and-mouse game with the Venezuelan government for years, and now that they've finally got their man, it's like we're not even sure what our endgame is 
. I mean, Carstens is right, finding a way to work with the new government is key, but at the same time, we can't just ignore the fact that there are still Americans stuck in this mess 
. It's going to be tough to navigate all these different factions and interests without losing sight of what really matters 
.
! It's been ages since we've had any real progress in Venezuela, and this is like the ultimate win for humanity 
. Like, how many more people have to suffer just because of Maduro's ego trip 
? 
. It's not gonna be easy, but I believe in the power of cooperation and diplomacy 
.
. Maybe we've been too hasty in judging him all these years 
. But let's not forget, there are some serious crimes that need to be punished 
.
. It's gonna be a wild ride, but if anyone can navigate it, it's Carstens and his team 
.
. But hey, I guess Maduro's downfall is a good start!
.
. But if the US can find a way to work with the new government without messing everything up, then maybe we'll actually see some progress 
. We need to support the people of Venezuela who are trying to rebuild their country after all they've been through 
.
but idk how they're gonna find all the other americans who are still held captive 
and now that he's out of power u think it's actually possible for venezuela to become a peaceful country again? 
. I mean, 65 Americans freed from Russia and Iran? That's some serious good deed right there 
... it just seems like theres this big grey area in between, right? 
.
the US needs a solid plan B 'fore things get crazy in Venezuela 
and btw, who's ready to take on Delcy Rodriguez? 
. At the same time, I'm not convinced he was always a hardened drug trafficker... there's more to this story than just black and white 
. That's what matters most right now. We can worry about all the other stuff later 
. And honestly, I wish we could just see a clear plan for how this is all gonna play out... it feels like we're just winging it 
. it's like, great that they're finally getting their freedom, but then you gotta wonder if the venezuelan gov is gonna just swap them out for someone else 
also, i feel like carstens' vibes are all over the place - "practical person" who wants to solve problems... sounds like just another politician trying to spin their narrative 
. what's the real plan here? 