Venezuelan Drug Lord Sentenced to Life 30 Plus Years in US

Is this a bold step against narcoterrorism or a false narrative to further erode Venezuelan sovereignty?

Published JAN 13·Updated JAN 17

Venezuelan Drug Lord Sentenced to Life 30 Plus Years in US

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Above: U.S. Southern District of New York courthouse in NYC on Jan. 6. Image credit: Leonardo Munoz/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

This sentencing cripples a narcoterror network that moved hundreds of tons of cocaine into the U.S. while buying protection from corrupt Venezuelan officials and armed groups. The case dismantled a state-linked trafficking pipeline, removed a kingpin tied to military-grade weapons and proved U.S. law can reach cartel leaders anywhere, especially those who use violence and corruption to poison American communities.

The Miami Herald Trump Department of Justice

Establishment-critical narrative

Azocar's sentence rests on a broader narrative used to legitimize illegal U.S. actions against Venezuela. Evidence for a state-run "Cartel of the Suns" remains unproven, even in U.S. court filings, while U.N. data shows only 5% of Colombian cocaine now transits Venezuela. Framing Venezuela as a narcoterror hub obscures declining trafficking routes and has served to justify military force, migrant crackdowns and intervention under false pretenses.

Mamertos 2.0 on X Guardian