U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday rejected assessments by the United Nations regarding Venezuela’s role in the international drug trade, saying the UN “doesn’t know what they’re talking about” and reiterating that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been indicted in the United States.
Speaking during a public appearance, Rubio said Maduro is “an indicted drug trafficker in the United States” and described him as a fugitive from American justice. Rubio argued that Venezuela is a major source of narcotics trafficking and criticized media reports he said rely on UN findings that downplay the country’s involvement.
“I don’t care what the UN says,” Rubio said. “Maduro is indicted by a grand jury in the Southern District of New York.”
Rubio explained that the indictment followed the presentation of evidence to a U.S. grand jury and noted that a superseding indictment, unsealed about a year and a half ago, outlined what he described as Maduro’s specific actions. He said these legal steps leave “no doubt” about Maduro’s status under U.S. law.
The Venezuelan government has consistently denied U.S. accusations linking Maduro to drug trafficking and has rejected the indictments as politically motivated. The United Nations has also previously disputed claims that Venezuela plays a central role in the global drug trade.
Rubio’s comments reflect the continued hardline stance of the U.S. government toward Maduro’s administration amid long-standing tensions between Washington and Caracas.
