US Calls for Venezuela Sanctions Could Impact Organized Crime

The future of US-Venezuela relations under Trump's administration is uncertain. However, it is possible that the letter from the senators could spur the White House to direct more resources toward investigating and attempting to punish top Venezuelan officials suspected of involvement in organized crime. On the one hand, this could reinforce Maduro's apparent strategy of protecting individuals targeted by the United States, who have as much -- if not more -- to lose than himself should the regime collapse under the pressure of ongoing political and economic turmoil. But on the other hand, increased US pressure on criminal actors within Venezuela's government could encourage a greater mobilization by the political opposition in Venezuela as well as the international community to take a more aggressive stance toward attempting to root out the criminality that has infected Venezuela's government. More…