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Caribbean-Latin America
Nicolás Maduro names powerful politician sanctioned by US as drug kingpin to be new Venezuelan oil minister
2020-04-28
[San Diego UT] Nicolás Maduro has named a powerful ally sanctioned by the U.S. as a drug kingpin along with a cousin of the late Hugo Chavez to revamp Venezuela's oil industry amid massive gasoline shortages.

Tareck El Aissami
...such a traditional Venezuelan name. Dear Tarry is Hezbollah’s man in Venezuela’s government as well as their connection to FARC ...
was appointed oil minister Monday and Asdrubal Chavez tapped to head of state-run oil giant PDVSA. The appointments were published in the official gazette. The government has yet to comment.

Both positions were occupied until now by Gen. Manuel Quevedo, who during his 28-month tenure watched as oil production in the country sitting atop the world's largest petroleum reserves collapsed by 65%.
Such efficiency must be admired, despite a distinct lack of effectiveness.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently added El Aissami to its list of 10 most-wanted fugitives. He was sanctioned in 2017 as allegedly being a major drug trafficker and then was indicted two years later on allegations of violating those sanctions.
Related:
Tareck El Aissam: 2019-08-02 US immigration agency names Venezuelan minister among ‘most wanted’
Tareck El Aissam: 2019-03-09 US indicts Venezuela ex-vice president Tareck El Aissami
Tareck El Aissam: 2019-02-25 Venezuela Ex-Spy Chief Reveals Maduro’s Ties To Hezbollah, Drugs
Related:
Manuel Quevedo: 2019-02-01 Glut of Tankers Stuck Off Venezuela as U.S. Sanctions Bite
Manuel Quevedo: 2019-01-27 Workers of PDVSA expressed "support and loyalty" to Nicolas Maduro
Manuel Quevedo: 2018-08-08 Venezuela Dodges Oil Asset Seizures with Export Transfers at Sea
Posted by:Frank G

#7  /\ Same here. Youthful memories of the patch.
Posted by: Besoeker   2020-04-28 16:41  

#6  Ref #4 Never personally wrenched rods, but I sure have held that brake handle a time or ten. Thanks for the visual, too. Good memories of wild men and wild times.
Posted by: Cesare   2020-04-28 14:18  

#5  At least in Mexico the naro-terrorists leave the impression that there is a civil government rather than just replace it outright.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2020-04-28 08:16  

#4  Ref #2: It's a good thing he has a fall back job what with things quiet in the oil patch for the foreseeable anyway

Rod pulling be hard. Always good to have a fall back job.
Posted by: Besoeker   2020-04-28 07:43  

#3  Peak oil!
Posted by: Clem   2020-04-28 07:35  

#2  It's a good thing he has a fall back job what with things quiet in the oil patch for the foreseeable anyway.
Posted by: Cesare   2020-04-28 06:20  

#1  So that's what the flight was about.
Posted by: Skidmark   2020-04-28 01:41  

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