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Good morning . I'm Jason Mars at the 

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director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin 

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America Center at the Atlantic Council . 

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Thank you . Over joining us today for 

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this incredibly important discussion at 

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a critical moment for Venice . Fella , 

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I like this first off by thinking . 

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Yeah , Advil . Craig Faller , the 

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commander of U S Southern Command , for 

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taking the time to join us A Thank you , 

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Admiral . Follow . Great to see you . 

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As always . Denise Natali , assistant 

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secretary at the Bureau of Conflict and 

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Stabilization operation the U . S 

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department States carry Phil Petty , 

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deputy assistant secretary of the 

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Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs of 

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State Department on also dug for up 

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president of I B I consultants . And 

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I'll also say , in Atlantic Council 

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author 2020 has been quite a 

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challenging and tumultuous year across 

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the grow , especially , we have seen 

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some of the devastating effects of the 

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Corona virus pandemic across the world , 

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in particular in our region , in Latin 

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America and in Venezuela . In 

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Venezuela's well , we have an 

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internationally recognized interim 

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government that marked its first year . 

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We have a growing humanitarian crisis 

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that entered a new phase and the 

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pandemic that has further strained a 

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crippling health care system . It has 

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already unable to provide even the most 

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basic medicines to Venezuelan people , 

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which is stowing also at the same time . 

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Hyper , uh taken an economy this and 

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hyper inflationary collapse and also 

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social unrest across the country . We 

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also have , as we look to the end of 

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this year , a Carla mentally elections 

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in Venezuela in December . They are 

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also to be a sham parliamentary 

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elections , among amid increasing 

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repression of political opposition , Um , 

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and the Maduro regime in Venezuela that 

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continues to remain entrenched . A top 

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priority for international Hala by 

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Venezuela's democratic forces should be 

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disrupting and deterring 

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global web of illicit activities and 

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the nefarious external and non state 

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partners that help to sustain Maduro 

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and his backers . This is a critical 

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step that requires coordinated 

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international action to further open 

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the pathway for the restoration of 

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democracy in Venezuela . I like to 

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reiterate the Atlantic Council's 

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commitment to helping to bring 

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international attention and also action 

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to achieve Democrats stability in 

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Venezuela . Today we're gonna focus on 

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the glass Maduro's expansive global 

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illegal network and potential synergies 

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on strategies to combat these 

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activities and secure democratic 

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restoration . Invest well this club 

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conversation is also launching an 

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Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center 

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policy brief by contributing author 

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Doug for A that investigates the 

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origins of the Maduro regime is 

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criminal activities and his connections 

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to result in international players as 

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well . This discussion is also marking , 

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I'm very excited to announce is the 

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formal launch of the centers new body 

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of work in collaboration with the 

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Atlantic Council . Scowcroft Steps 

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Center for Strategy Security around 

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Venezuela is focused on informing 

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international allies of the interim 

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government of Venezuela on new 

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strategies to dismantle the regimes , 

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at least it activities and the support 

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that Nicolas Maduro receives from a 

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line non state and states actors . Um , 

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thank you all for joining us today . 

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I'm not going to turn to Asia and arced 

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the executive vice chair of the 

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Atlantic Council , the founder and 

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visionary of the Adrienne Arsht Latin 

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America Center , as well as the founder 

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of the Adrienne Arsht Rockefeller 

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Foundation Resilience Center to 

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introduce the admiral . Thank you , 

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Jason , and I might mention that 

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although I am sitting in my office in 

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Washington , D . C . My background is 

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my home in Miami , Florida and 

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that's where , uh , interim President 

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Guido's wife , Fabiana , stayed for the 

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day while she I received 

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many people in Miami to talk about 

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the situation in Venezuela , and she 

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received the key to the city of Miami 

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from the mayor . As you can imagine , 

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this was pre cope it . Over the years , 

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the Adrienne Arsht Latin America center 

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has brought awareness toe Latin 

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America's most pressing challenges , 

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embracing my longstanding vision and 

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view that the center would focus on the 

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world's perception of the region as a 

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core partner and ally . And 

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yet Venezuela , once a thriving 

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democracy , today's in one of its 

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darkest times . With the complications 

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of Kobe 19 and parliamentary elections 

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soon to be held . This is a decisive 

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moment for the prospects of a 

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democratic restoration of Venezuela . 

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I want to kick off today's conversation 

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by saying how very pleased I am . 

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Welcome to this virtual meeting . A 

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friend of the centre at a friend of 

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mine , Admiral Craig Fowler , he's the 

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commander of the United States Southern 

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Command , braised ill Miami 

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and with his naval leadership and his 

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extensive background throughout the 

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military , he's been our best leader 

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for the critical operations that are 

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now necessary in Latin America 

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and Now I turn it over to you . 

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Thank you very much . Adrian . Um , 

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Admiral Fallar is Adrian said first 

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will have several . Thank you . Thank 

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you so much for your service and for 

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and for being with us . Us here today , 

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Uh , admiral and of a couple of 

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questions for you . First off in April , 

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South kind of launched an enhanced 

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counternarcotics operation , the 

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Caribbean . Uh , with drugs flowing 

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from regime partnerships with criminal 

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groups in Venezuela being a focus of 

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those interdiction efforts . Of course , 

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those eliciting are kind explosion are 

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major security challenge the United 

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States . But if I start by asking , why 

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in particular are the illicit flows 

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coming out of Venezuela such a great 

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threat to United States interests first ? 

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Good morning , everyone . And thanks , 

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Adrian , for the warm introduction , 

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your friendship and Jason , Thanks for 

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moderating this important conversation . 

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Thanks for what the Atlantic Council 

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does toe to have these important 

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conference facilitate these important 

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conversations about policy that affects 

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the security , United States , the 

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region in the world . And when we look 

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at this region , there is so much 

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promise . It's so much potential . Look , 

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it is a beacon of freedom . The numbers 

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of democracies and what we all share 

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really makes it a neighborhood . And 

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you think about what constitutes 

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neighborhood , the proximity to all of 

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us , particularly United States . The 

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values and democracies that we share 

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for me , a piece of it . People Onda , 

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of course , a huge intellectual human 

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capital that they constitutes those 

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people at Resource is a very resource 

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rich neighborhood and all that is under 

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assault . It's under assault by a 

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vicious circle threats , the center of 

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which is , as you characterized , Jason 

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Venezuela . But to get a Venezuela 

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to march around that circle , it's it's 

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young democracies and emerging 

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institutions , and we need strong 

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institutions . That's really a key here 

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to getting after the listen . Throat 

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flows the's corruption , which eats it , 

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the democracies in the institutions . 

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And it's an environment that the 

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transnational criminal organizations 

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and narco terrorists have thrived on 

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corruption . External state actors also 

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thrive under the same conditions 

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corruption of emerging institutions and 

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young democracies , weak democracies , 

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in some case , and we see Cuba , 

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Russia , China , Iran , Nicaragua , 

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then is well . All these countries mix 

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it up in that space cove . It is 

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complicated ability to do anything for 

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for all these nations and also has 

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really exasperated the problems as you 

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mentioned , Uh , so Venezuela . It all 

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comes together in Venezuela and just 

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stepping back , and we look at what the 

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impact has been . 5.2 million migrants . 

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Human suffering . The increase . 

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Drastic increase in narco trafficking 

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coming out of Venezuela , which is 

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killing lives , killing people here . 

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United States . Where Miami , 

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Pittsburgh , in the same Central 

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America and throughout the hemisphere . 

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And so at the heart of the threat . 

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It's the lives that air . We're losing 

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unnecessarily , and it's the 

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undermining of democracy . And that was 

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the choice Maduro made to take the once 

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thriving state into the current 

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dictatorship . That it is Cove . It is 

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a lot of the him to lock down even 

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further on the power , and we see 

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fork distance e l n actually 

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having territorial expansion within the 

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state . So all those threat vectors air 

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headed in a in negative direction , 

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which is a significant reason why we 

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have up the amount of engagement we're 

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doing with our partners and launched 

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are enhanced counternarcotics operation 

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Advil . Thank you very much . You 

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describe this this fragrance , this 

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cocktail of security threats that we 

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have emanating out of Venezuela . They 

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of the trafficking , of course , that 

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it was a gold mining , which criminal 

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groups are very heavily involved . 

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Money laundering , weapons trafficking , 

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massive corruption , your your , uh 

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just referencing the enhanced US 

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narcotics operations and the working 

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with regional allies in that regard . 

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So I'd like toe pick up on that point 

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and ask you specifically how is South 

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of working with regional allies to 

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disrupt some the illicit trafficking 

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coming from Venezuela ? A second part 

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of that question is , what is the 

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biggest challenge that you're currently 

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facing and doing so ? Partners in this 

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region are strong , and we have a good 

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history working together , which has 

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allowed us to adapt to the covert 

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environment and allowed us to adapt to 

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the the increase in the threat . So 

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everything in the military to military 

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realm , the security mention starts 

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with intelligence sharing , and we do 

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that and we've increased that as a 

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result of the crisis in Venezuela . 

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With one of our principal commands is 

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Joint Interagency Task Force South in 

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Key West , where we have 22 partner 

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make nations . They're all aligned 

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there under the common threat of narco 

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trafficking and the 

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connection to Mr Maduro is his 

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complicity in that threat . So the 

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nations that go there , they go there 

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for their national interest . But 

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working together for the good of 

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hemisphere , I had spent a success , 

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and we have actually seen an increase 

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in partner nation involvement . Ah , 

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year to year last year to this year , 

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currently about 50% of all our kind of 

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narcotic operations have some 

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involvement of a partner nation . 

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That's a Indyk , indicative of the 

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importance of investing in partnerships 

284
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over time , security cooperation funds 

285
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and those sorts elements really play 

286
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heavily in there . The challenge is , 

287
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of course , going forward are the 

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center of gravity for the Maduro 

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regimes . Listed activities are Cuba , 

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Russia , increasingly Iran 

291
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and to a lesser extent , but an 

292
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important extent , China . So , in 

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order to get the true international 

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unity that we need , and I'll leave 

295
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this to the diplomats that are on the 

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call here to talk later , but nor to 

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get the true international unity we 

298
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need have unity in that space as well . 

299
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And and we don't and the longstanding 

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involvement of Cuba , essentially 

301
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Maduro's intelligence service and all 

302
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his presidential guard or Cuban 

303
00:12:19,729 --> 00:12:21,729
controlled . It's desperate . Orien 

304
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guard is essentially a puppet . Eso to 

305
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break at center of gravity is it is a 

306
00:12:26,701 --> 00:12:29,340
bigger problem set and just cutting off 

307
00:12:29,340 --> 00:12:33,090
the flows off , elicit money and 

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illicit drugs and were working both The 

309
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money part is part of the end of drugs 

310
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as part of the U . S . Government and a 

311
00:12:39,711 --> 00:12:43,450
whole nation approach . So So So 

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we'll talk . Talk about this next 

313
00:12:45,450 --> 00:12:47,530
conversation , that combo moderate . 

314
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But when we look at how the United 

315
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States International Committee can 

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really ramp up coordinated action to 

317
00:12:53,474 --> 00:12:56,090
isolate the Maduro regime , it is when 

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I'm hearing is really about the action 

319
00:12:58,330 --> 00:13:00,552
against some of this state actors , the 

320
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Russians , Cubans and others that are 

321
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helping to keep these elicit flows . 

322
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Movie You grew that I think 

323
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that the center is we look at things . 

324
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What keeps Maduro in power , what 

325
00:13:13,990 --> 00:13:17,820
allows him to operate unchecked ? What 

326
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allows him to continue to strangle 

327
00:13:19,764 --> 00:13:22,520
those population ? Why has Venezuela 

328
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turned into a virtual paradise for 

329
00:13:24,730 --> 00:13:27,830
narco terrorists and and , uh , thugs 

330
00:13:27,830 --> 00:13:31,550
and of all types on ? And there's 

331
00:13:32,110 --> 00:13:35,120
interests that are running counter to 

332
00:13:35,530 --> 00:13:38,060
the interests of human rights democracy ? 

333
00:13:38,060 --> 00:13:40,620
And I think that that's one of the keys 

334
00:13:40,620 --> 00:13:43,540
is is to shift that senator gravity 

335
00:13:43,540 --> 00:13:45,762
away from Maduro . And there's a lot of 

336
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people working in this space . I think 

337
00:13:47,929 --> 00:13:50,040
that us whole government efforts have 

338
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been have been quite well knitted . 

339
00:13:53,220 --> 00:13:56,060
Certainly the results haven't gotten 

340
00:13:56,060 --> 00:13:58,180
where we want him to be . But there's 

341
00:13:58,180 --> 00:14:00,980
been great partnerships with folks that 

342
00:14:00,980 --> 00:14:03,091
are on the on the screen here today . 

343
00:14:03,540 --> 00:14:05,840
Well , and with that s you all 

344
00:14:05,850 --> 00:14:08,380
transition over to our panel . Thank 

345
00:14:08,380 --> 00:14:10,436
you very much . Those those poison . 

346
00:14:10,436 --> 00:14:12,602
And as you know , the Atlantic Council 

347
00:14:12,602 --> 00:14:16,060
is also very committed to this effort . 

348
00:14:16,070 --> 00:14:18,450
This is why we're launching today . Are 

349
00:14:18,460 --> 00:14:20,860
new effort on country Venezuela's 

350
00:14:20,990 --> 00:14:23,800
illicit flows . They are left . Let the 

351
00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:25,689
agent are slight . America Center 

352
00:14:25,689 --> 00:14:27,744
inquiry sparked Scowcroft Center for 

353
00:14:27,744 --> 00:14:29,856
Strategy Security because , as you're 

354
00:14:29,856 --> 00:14:32,020
saying , the disrupting those illicit 

355
00:14:32,020 --> 00:14:34,280
flows are going to be critical for 

356
00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:36,391
wrapping up the pressure on Maduro on 

357
00:14:36,391 --> 00:14:38,224
his stranglehold on on Venezuela 

358
00:14:38,224 --> 00:14:41,790
society . Um , I'm now going toe . Uh , 

359
00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,022
Admiral introduced the other speakers . 

360
00:14:44,022 --> 00:14:47,010
Teoh ground out the panel conversation . 

361
00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:49,870
First , Denise Natali is joining us to 

362
00:14:49,870 --> 00:14:52,270
the serves as the assistant secretary 

363
00:14:52,270 --> 00:14:54,040
for the Bureau of Conflict and 

364
00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:56,580
Stabilization operations at the State 

365
00:14:56,580 --> 00:14:59,100
Department , Denise previously served 

366
00:14:59,100 --> 00:15:00,989
as the director of the Center for 

367
00:15:00,989 --> 00:15:02,767
Strategic Research of the Super 

368
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National Strategic Studies and at the 

369
00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,180
National Defense University . She has 

370
00:15:08,180 --> 00:15:11,480
also has a number of experiences across 

371
00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:14,850
the world encountering conflict on a 

372
00:15:14,860 --> 00:15:16,860
moving for a conflict stabilization 

373
00:15:16,860 --> 00:15:19,100
operations . More , More broadly , uh , 

374
00:15:19,110 --> 00:15:21,277
this is Inspector Valley Great . Great 

375
00:15:21,277 --> 00:15:23,332
to have you with us today . Always a 

376
00:15:23,332 --> 00:15:25,388
pleasure to welcome you and today to 

377
00:15:25,388 --> 00:15:27,721
welcome you to the Virtual Dina Council , 

378
00:15:27,721 --> 00:15:30,060
Also joined today by Kerry . Phil Betty , 

379
00:15:30,060 --> 00:15:31,980
who serves as the deputy special 

380
00:15:31,980 --> 00:15:34,036
representative for Venice , Fell and 

381
00:15:34,036 --> 00:15:36,202
also the deputy assistant secretary of 

382
00:15:36,202 --> 00:15:38,258
state from Venezuela in Cuba and the 

383
00:15:38,258 --> 00:15:40,480
Bureau of Western Hemisphere affairs at 

384
00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:42,647
the State Department . Carrie uh Petty 

385
00:15:42,647 --> 00:15:44,591
previously served as senior policy 

386
00:15:44,591 --> 00:15:46,810
adviser for the U . S . Mission United 

387
00:15:46,810 --> 00:15:49,450
Nations , where she advised Ambassador 

388
00:15:49,450 --> 00:15:51,172
Nikki Alien if she's related . 

389
00:15:51,172 --> 00:15:53,061
Counterterrorism Middle Eastern , 

390
00:15:53,061 --> 00:15:55,394
Western Hemisphere Since Dr Talley felt . 

391
00:15:55,394 --> 00:15:57,506
Since I felt pretty great to have you 

392
00:15:57,506 --> 00:15:59,700
say Thanks for joining us on day , 

393
00:15:59,700 --> 00:16:01,867
always a pleasure again to welcome you 

394
00:16:01,867 --> 00:16:03,756
to the Atlantic Council . Dug for 

395
00:16:03,756 --> 00:16:05,589
Roswell . Doug is the present of 

396
00:16:05,589 --> 00:16:07,700
national national security consulting 

397
00:16:07,700 --> 00:16:09,811
firm . I'd be I consultants is also a 

398
00:16:09,811 --> 00:16:11,978
senior visiting fellow at the National 

399
00:16:11,978 --> 00:16:11,860
Defense University Center for complex 

400
00:16:11,860 --> 00:16:14,010
operations , and I will now adieu . 

401
00:16:14,010 --> 00:16:16,460
Ducks title . Atlantic Council author 

402
00:16:16,460 --> 00:16:19,000
Since he is the author Policy brief we 

403
00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,440
are releasing today , which is titled 

404
00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:23,607
The Maduro Regimes Elicit Activities . 

405
00:16:23,607 --> 00:16:26,490
Ah , threat to democracy in Venezuela 

406
00:16:26,500 --> 00:16:28,880
as security and Latin America . I'm not 

407
00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:30,880
gonna have the conversation over to 

408
00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:33,102
Diego idea my team . Diego leaves . The 

409
00:16:33,102 --> 00:16:35,269
centrist Venezuela Works is joining us 

410
00:16:35,269 --> 00:16:38,360
in December 2018 before being forced to 

411
00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:40,527
leave Venezuela . Among other things , 

412
00:16:40,527 --> 00:16:42,138
Diego was director of social 

413
00:16:42,138 --> 00:16:44,138
developments in the municipality of 

414
00:16:44,138 --> 00:16:46,430
Soup Today over to you , Diego . Thank 

415
00:16:46,430 --> 00:16:48,541
you , Jason . And thank you , Admiral 

416
00:16:48,541 --> 00:16:50,652
Father , for your insightful comments 

417
00:16:50,652 --> 00:16:52,820
on the critical work that's outcome is 

418
00:16:52,820 --> 00:16:54,987
leading in the region . I want to kick 

419
00:16:54,987 --> 00:16:56,709
off a nice discussion with our 

420
00:16:56,709 --> 00:16:58,900
distinguished file assistant secretary 

421
00:16:58,900 --> 00:17:00,990
Natali Welcome and thank you for 

422
00:17:00,990 --> 00:17:03,212
participating in today's discussion . I 

423
00:17:03,212 --> 00:17:05,820
would like to start with you last 

424
00:17:05,820 --> 00:17:08,200
February , right before the escalation 

425
00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:11,760
of Korean 19 cases in the US to travel 

426
00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,510
to Miami to discuss stabilization 

427
00:17:14,510 --> 00:17:17,120
issues with civil military coordination 

428
00:17:17,120 --> 00:17:19,600
is with senior South com leaders and 

429
00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:22,280
later to Colombia to support the peace 

430
00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:24,650
process implementation . What is the 

431
00:17:24,650 --> 00:17:26,750
plan for the U . S and its allies to 

432
00:17:26,750 --> 00:17:28,760
promote democratic stability in the 

433
00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:31,010
region after a political resolution 

434
00:17:31,010 --> 00:17:32,690
takes place in Venezuela . It 

435
00:17:32,690 --> 00:17:35,480
specifically given the security threat 

436
00:17:35,490 --> 00:17:37,690
off Colombian guerrilla groups . So 

437
00:17:37,690 --> 00:17:40,310
just vision for and Ellen operating 

438
00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:43,500
within Venezuelan territory . Thank you . 

439
00:17:43,700 --> 00:17:45,756
Thank you , Diego . I'd also like to 

440
00:17:45,756 --> 00:17:47,978
thank Jason for moderating Adrian , for 

441
00:17:47,978 --> 00:17:50,200
your leadership and the age in our show 

442
00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,033
are Latin American Center at the 

443
00:17:52,033 --> 00:17:54,256
Atlantic Council . And , of course , to 

444
00:17:54,256 --> 00:17:56,311
my colleagues and fellow Panelists . 

445
00:17:56,311 --> 00:17:58,533
It's an honor and a pleasure to be here 

446
00:17:58,533 --> 00:18:00,756
this morning . David . The short answer 

447
00:18:00,756 --> 00:18:00,630
to your question is that we are 

448
00:18:01,090 --> 00:18:03,312
planning for stabilization in Venezuela 

449
00:18:03,312 --> 00:18:06,060
and the region . The long answer , The 

450
00:18:06,060 --> 00:18:08,116
longer answer is that my bureau , in 

451
00:18:08,116 --> 00:18:11,260
coordination with our colleagues at 

452
00:18:12,430 --> 00:18:14,486
at the Special Representative Abrams 

453
00:18:14,486 --> 00:18:16,708
office , we have deputies and Secretary 

454
00:18:16,708 --> 00:18:18,374
Philip any here , the Western 

455
00:18:18,374 --> 00:18:20,319
Hemisphere bureau , South Calm and 

456
00:18:20,319 --> 00:18:23,340
others . We are convening US 

457
00:18:23,350 --> 00:18:25,610
interagency security sector planning 

458
00:18:25,610 --> 00:18:28,180
for Venezuela . We are conducting 

459
00:18:28,190 --> 00:18:30,780
Advanced Data Analytics to understand 

460
00:18:30,780 --> 00:18:32,960
the operating environments and to 

461
00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,810
improve our plans . No one aspect that 

462
00:18:35,810 --> 00:18:38,032
you mentioned it that we're focusing on 

463
00:18:38,032 --> 00:18:40,110
specifically is the non state armed 

464
00:18:40,110 --> 00:18:42,990
groups . As you know , the illegitimate 

465
00:18:42,990 --> 00:18:45,590
Maduro regime survives by relying on 

466
00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:49,130
this classic autocratic tools nowhere 

467
00:18:49,130 --> 00:18:51,770
is this clearer than its collaboration 

468
00:18:51,770 --> 00:18:54,950
and reliance on non state armed Bruce . 

469
00:18:55,340 --> 00:18:58,000
To conduct these activities . 

470
00:18:59,340 --> 00:19:01,507
Venezuela's non state on girls present 

471
00:19:01,507 --> 00:19:03,570
a unique challenge as they compose a 

472
00:19:03,570 --> 00:19:05,940
complex , state supported network of 

473
00:19:05,940 --> 00:19:08,060
gangs , drug traffickers and 

474
00:19:08,060 --> 00:19:10,060
transnational terrorist networks , 

475
00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,400
including the FARC dissidents and the 

476
00:19:12,410 --> 00:19:14,466
deal . And , as you just mentioned , 

477
00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:17,440
where the regime lacks the will and 

478
00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:19,810
capacity to govern Venezuela , hollowed 

479
00:19:19,820 --> 00:19:22,810
out by years of corruption and abuse , 

480
00:19:22,980 --> 00:19:26,200
it instead has enabled the growth of 

481
00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:29,490
these non state armed groups , creating 

482
00:19:29,490 --> 00:19:31,420
an illicit patronage network and 

483
00:19:31,430 --> 00:19:35,150
weakening legitimate institutions 

484
00:19:35,500 --> 00:19:38,300
that these groups serve as a key tool 

485
00:19:38,310 --> 00:19:40,199
of regime power . And they pose a 

486
00:19:40,199 --> 00:19:42,366
serious threat to the future stability 

487
00:19:42,366 --> 00:19:45,500
of both Venezuela and the region but 

488
00:19:45,500 --> 00:19:47,833
providing a safe harbor to these groups . 

489
00:19:47,833 --> 00:19:50,000
Maduro facilitates their transnational 

490
00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,690
criminal economies , trafficking people 

491
00:19:52,690 --> 00:19:55,690
and goods . But the important point is 

492
00:19:55,690 --> 00:19:57,190
that this challenge is not 

493
00:19:57,190 --> 00:20:00,280
insurmountable . We know that these 

494
00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,520
groups are not monolithic . We know 

495
00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:04,464
that they have a diverse agendas , 

496
00:20:04,590 --> 00:20:08,180
allegiances and interests , the 

497
00:20:08,180 --> 00:20:10,402
qualities that Maduro uses to keep them 

498
00:20:10,402 --> 00:20:12,920
in line . Now , my bureaus , Advanced 

499
00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:14,976
Data Analytics and the programs that 

500
00:20:14,976 --> 00:20:17,110
were supporting have shown that these 

501
00:20:17,110 --> 00:20:19,221
non state armed groups have an active 

502
00:20:19,221 --> 00:20:21,620
presence in the capital and throughout 

503
00:20:21,630 --> 00:20:25,490
every state . We know the 2/3 of these 

504
00:20:25,490 --> 00:20:28,130
groups receive at least some kind of 

505
00:20:28,130 --> 00:20:30,350
political and logistical support from 

506
00:20:30,350 --> 00:20:32,870
the Maduro regime . So these diverse 

507
00:20:32,870 --> 00:20:35,037
activities , tactics and motivations , 

508
00:20:35,037 --> 00:20:37,760
therefore demands a nuanced and 

509
00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:39,927
sophisticated approach . If we want to 

510
00:20:39,927 --> 00:20:42,870
see to weaken them strategically , we 

511
00:20:42,870 --> 00:20:44,592
recognize that non state armed 

512
00:20:44,592 --> 00:20:46,537
substance cannot be managed by the 

513
00:20:46,537 --> 00:20:49,330
United States alone . United States is 

514
00:20:49,330 --> 00:20:51,330
committed to helping the Venezuelan 

515
00:20:51,330 --> 00:20:53,274
people counter the threat of these 

516
00:20:53,274 --> 00:20:55,441
groups . And my bureau is proud of the 

517
00:20:55,441 --> 00:20:57,163
long standing partnership with 

518
00:20:57,163 --> 00:20:59,330
Venezuela's interim president on Why , 

519
00:20:59,330 --> 00:21:01,330
though , and the opposition and our 

520
00:21:01,330 --> 00:21:03,386
work supports their understanding of 

521
00:21:03,386 --> 00:21:05,608
the threat of non state armed groups as 

522
00:21:05,608 --> 00:21:07,608
we prepare for a political future . 

523
00:21:09,340 --> 00:21:12,660
Thank you , Assistant Secretary Deputy 

524
00:21:12,660 --> 00:21:14,827
for you , Betty . First of all , thank 

525
00:21:14,827 --> 00:21:16,993
you again for joining us today . Now I 

526
00:21:16,993 --> 00:21:18,827
would like to bring you into the 

527
00:21:18,827 --> 00:21:21,180
conversation as we know . The support 

528
00:21:21,190 --> 00:21:23,450
off international actors is further and 

529
00:21:23,450 --> 00:21:25,810
Kareem in the region's position and as 

530
00:21:25,860 --> 00:21:28,210
a meal father mentioned , Russia , 

531
00:21:28,220 --> 00:21:31,300
China , Turkey and Cuba have provided 

532
00:21:31,310 --> 00:21:33,920
lifelines off support for my who was . 

533
00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,410
Recently we have seen increasingly 

534
00:21:36,420 --> 00:21:38,440
close Iran Venezuela ties which is 

535
00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:40,273
concerning for the international 

536
00:21:40,273 --> 00:21:43,030
community connected to that . Two weeks 

537
00:21:43,030 --> 00:21:45,630
ago , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo 

538
00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:47,751
announced that special representative 

539
00:21:47,751 --> 00:21:51,050
for Venezuela Alien Arum's will be also 

540
00:21:51,050 --> 00:21:53,106
serving a special representative for 

541
00:21:53,106 --> 00:21:55,400
Iraq . What does this mean for US 

542
00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:57,700
policy towards Venezuela , specifically 

543
00:21:57,710 --> 00:22:00,940
regarding illicit flows ? Thank you 

544
00:22:00,940 --> 00:22:03,107
very much , Diego . And thank you , of 

545
00:22:03,107 --> 00:22:05,107
course . Teoh , Jason and Adrian as 

546
00:22:05,107 --> 00:22:06,884
well . And it's great to see my 

547
00:22:06,884 --> 00:22:08,996
colleagues . I haven't seen them in a 

548
00:22:08,996 --> 00:22:11,107
very long time because of Covitz . So 

549
00:22:11,107 --> 00:22:13,162
it's it's nice toe to be in the same 

550
00:22:13,162 --> 00:22:15,440
room , so to speak together . You know , 

551
00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:15,010
something that Assistant Secretary 

552
00:22:15,010 --> 00:22:17,090
Natali mentioned is the non state 

553
00:22:17,090 --> 00:22:19,450
actors and Diego you mentioned . Now 

554
00:22:19,540 --> 00:22:21,762
there's this other component , which is 

555
00:22:21,762 --> 00:22:23,990
the state actors . On the one hand , 

556
00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:25,722
when we see this increase in a 

557
00:22:25,722 --> 00:22:28,056
relationship between Iran and Venezuela , 

558
00:22:28,056 --> 00:22:30,111
it does signal something interesting 

559
00:22:30,111 --> 00:22:32,222
for the United States , which is that 

560
00:22:32,222 --> 00:22:34,444
far from being able to rely on its more 

561
00:22:34,444 --> 00:22:36,667
traditional allies like Russia , Cuba , 

562
00:22:36,667 --> 00:22:39,090
China , we're starting to see them 

563
00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:41,462
undertake the same sort of relationship 

564
00:22:41,462 --> 00:22:43,629
they used to have with those countries 

565
00:22:43,629 --> 00:22:45,684
now with Iran . And so that makes us 

566
00:22:45,684 --> 00:22:48,360
think that the diplomatic and financial 

567
00:22:48,360 --> 00:22:51,030
space between Venezuela and some of 

568
00:22:51,030 --> 00:22:53,141
their more traditional , more capable 

569
00:22:53,141 --> 00:22:55,540
allies is decreasing . So in some sense , 

570
00:22:55,550 --> 00:22:58,370
I think seeing this expansion is 

571
00:22:58,370 --> 00:23:01,290
reflective of of an opportunity . But 

572
00:23:01,290 --> 00:23:03,457
what it reflects really is kind of the 

573
00:23:03,457 --> 00:23:05,457
basis of this discussion , which is 

574
00:23:05,457 --> 00:23:07,623
that as US sanctions and international 

575
00:23:07,623 --> 00:23:09,734
sanctions have constrained the Maduro 

576
00:23:09,734 --> 00:23:11,679
regime's ability to finance itself 

577
00:23:11,679 --> 00:23:13,679
through more traditional sources of 

578
00:23:13,679 --> 00:23:15,623
income , we're seeing them move to 

579
00:23:15,623 --> 00:23:17,457
illicit sources , whether that's 

580
00:23:17,457 --> 00:23:19,512
illegal gold mining , whether that's 

581
00:23:19,512 --> 00:23:21,401
narco trafficking or whether it's 

582
00:23:21,401 --> 00:23:24,790
coordination with states like Iran . So 

583
00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:28,650
we're seeing that Iran is supplying 

584
00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:32,120
um in material to Venezuela , and we're 

585
00:23:32,120 --> 00:23:33,787
working very closely with our 

586
00:23:33,787 --> 00:23:35,953
international partners to try to limit 

587
00:23:35,953 --> 00:23:37,564
Iran's ability to supply the 

588
00:23:37,564 --> 00:23:39,731
illegitimate Maduro regime in terms of 

589
00:23:39,731 --> 00:23:41,676
the relationship between the two , 

590
00:23:41,676 --> 00:23:43,453
though what we've seen in press 

591
00:23:43,453 --> 00:23:45,620
reporting is that Maduro has illegally 

592
00:23:45,620 --> 00:23:47,620
stolen about nine tons of gold bars 

593
00:23:47,620 --> 00:23:49,731
that's more or less the equivalent of 

594
00:23:49,731 --> 00:23:53,000
$500 million on and sent them to Tehran 

595
00:23:53,010 --> 00:23:55,010
in exchange for Iran's assistance . 

596
00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:57,510
It's not immediately clear what type of 

597
00:23:57,510 --> 00:23:59,732
assistance Iran is providing , which is 

598
00:23:59,732 --> 00:24:01,843
of course really concerning for us as 

599
00:24:01,843 --> 00:24:04,010
well , although we know that they have 

600
00:24:04,010 --> 00:24:05,677
offered to assist in boosting 

601
00:24:05,677 --> 00:24:07,843
Venezuela's oil production . Obviously 

602
00:24:07,843 --> 00:24:09,843
that hasn't been successful , given 

603
00:24:09,843 --> 00:24:11,788
that Venezuela has fallen from 3.3 

604
00:24:11,788 --> 00:24:13,843
million barrels of oil per day under 

605
00:24:13,843 --> 00:24:16,790
Chavez to about 350,000 barrels per day 

606
00:24:16,790 --> 00:24:19,330
under under Maduro . So I would say 

607
00:24:19,330 --> 00:24:21,560
that it's not exactly worth $500 

608
00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:23,820
million that that Venezuela has 

609
00:24:23,820 --> 00:24:25,709
providing , but it does show that 

610
00:24:25,709 --> 00:24:27,940
increasing cooperation , I think , 

611
00:24:27,940 --> 00:24:29,773
going to your question about the 

612
00:24:29,773 --> 00:24:31,718
special representative . First and 

613
00:24:31,718 --> 00:24:33,829
foremost , we have Iran and Venezuela 

614
00:24:33,829 --> 00:24:36,080
is two of the top priorities of the 

615
00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:38,302
Trump administration . So the fact that 

616
00:24:38,302 --> 00:24:40,469
they are now being handled by the same 

617
00:24:40,469 --> 00:24:42,524
individual , I think highlights this 

618
00:24:42,524 --> 00:24:44,358
growing symbiotic relationship . 

619
00:24:44,410 --> 00:24:46,466
Special representative Abrams deeply 

620
00:24:46,466 --> 00:24:48,577
understands that relationship between 

621
00:24:48,577 --> 00:24:50,360
Venezuela and Iran he deeply 

622
00:24:50,360 --> 00:24:52,360
understands Venezuela and Iran also 

623
00:24:52,360 --> 00:24:54,027
separate . And apart from the 

624
00:24:54,027 --> 00:24:57,650
relationship on DSO I ous , we seek to 

625
00:24:57,650 --> 00:24:59,872
kind of confront this more multifaceted 

626
00:24:59,872 --> 00:25:02,740
problem . Ensuring that this is all 

627
00:25:02,740 --> 00:25:04,851
kind of under the same purview of the 

628
00:25:04,851 --> 00:25:07,060
same individual will help us with that 

629
00:25:07,070 --> 00:25:09,570
internal coordination . I think it's a 

630
00:25:09,570 --> 00:25:12,630
fantastic addition to special 

631
00:25:12,630 --> 00:25:15,150
representative Abrams Portfolio Um , 

632
00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:16,993
and we know that he is very well 

633
00:25:16,993 --> 00:25:19,160
positioned to ensure that U . S policy 

634
00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:21,271
is taking this more holistic approach 

635
00:25:21,271 --> 00:25:23,493
to disrupting the illicit flows between 

636
00:25:23,493 --> 00:25:25,604
Iran and Venezuela and support of our 

637
00:25:25,604 --> 00:25:27,660
policy strategies for each country . 

638
00:25:27,660 --> 00:25:29,771
Thank you very much . Temple . If you 

639
00:25:29,771 --> 00:25:31,710
paid now it's time to bring in or 

640
00:25:31,710 --> 00:25:33,932
Atlantic Council author Douglas for our 

641
00:25:33,932 --> 00:25:37,370
bowlers Wiggle . I like to ask you this 

642
00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:39,773
in the policy brief were luncheon today , 

643
00:25:39,773 --> 00:25:41,884
you characterize the mother regime as 

644
00:25:41,884 --> 00:25:44,107
the leader off a regional quote unquote 

645
00:25:44,180 --> 00:25:46,870
joint criminal enterprise . Could you 

646
00:25:46,870 --> 00:25:49,080
please explain the regional and global 

647
00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:50,913
nature off the regime's criminal 

648
00:25:50,913 --> 00:25:53,090
activities and the threats to security 

649
00:25:53,100 --> 00:25:56,020
and political stability in 3% for art 

650
00:25:56,020 --> 00:25:58,630
in America ? Well , thank you gave Oh , 

651
00:25:58,630 --> 00:26:00,852
and thank you to the Atlantic Council . 

652
00:26:00,852 --> 00:26:02,880
It's nice to see other folks showed 

653
00:26:03,060 --> 00:26:05,282
assistant secretary not leave oversight 

654
00:26:05,282 --> 00:26:07,116
my research the National Defense 

655
00:26:07,116 --> 00:26:09,171
University for for a few years . And 

656
00:26:09,171 --> 00:26:11,282
I've worked very closely with Admiral 

657
00:26:11,282 --> 00:26:11,170
Fowler's J two and other folks there 

658
00:26:11,170 --> 00:26:13,392
for through the years . So I appreciate 

659
00:26:13,392 --> 00:26:15,600
the opportunity . Um , I think what 

660
00:26:15,610 --> 00:26:17,832
we're to the point of what we're trying 

661
00:26:17,832 --> 00:26:19,943
to outline in this paper . In another 

662
00:26:19,943 --> 00:26:21,832
work we've done in supportive the 

663
00:26:21,832 --> 00:26:23,999
deputy assistant secretary for counter 

664
00:26:23,999 --> 00:26:25,832
narcotics and global test of the 

665
00:26:25,832 --> 00:26:28,054
Defense Department . His analyzing that 

666
00:26:28,054 --> 00:26:30,166
is not a It is a consortium of states 

667
00:26:30,166 --> 00:26:31,999
that now embrace transnational . 

668
00:26:31,999 --> 00:26:33,777
Organized crime is a legitimate 

669
00:26:33,777 --> 00:26:35,999
instrument of state power , and I think 

670
00:26:35,999 --> 00:26:38,110
that is the fundamental tipping point 

671
00:26:38,110 --> 00:26:40,054
between what we've seen with other 

672
00:26:40,054 --> 00:26:42,166
regimes in the region and the ability 

673
00:26:42,166 --> 00:26:44,221
of beginning with Chavez and , uh in 

674
00:26:44,221 --> 00:26:46,110
the Castro brothers in Cuba , too 

675
00:26:46,110 --> 00:26:48,332
intentionally knit together a community 

676
00:26:48,332 --> 00:26:50,554
of criminal enterprises that allow them 

677
00:26:50,554 --> 00:26:52,777
and their ultimate objective , which is 

678
00:26:52,777 --> 00:26:54,832
to displace United States as much as 

679
00:26:54,832 --> 00:26:56,943
possible from the region and bring in 

680
00:26:56,943 --> 00:26:58,943
extra regional actors like Russia , 

681
00:26:58,943 --> 00:27:00,777
Iran , China , Turkey as much as 

682
00:27:00,777 --> 00:27:02,888
possible into the region . So I think 

683
00:27:02,888 --> 00:27:02,400
you have to understand it as an 

684
00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,780
intentional set up from the very 

685
00:27:04,780 --> 00:27:07,430
beginning . Peta Vesa under Chavez was 

686
00:27:07,430 --> 00:27:09,652
designed to launder money . That's that 

687
00:27:09,652 --> 00:27:12,170
was the primary purpose of the influx 

688
00:27:12,170 --> 00:27:14,337
of billions of dollars that they could 

689
00:27:14,337 --> 00:27:16,503
move . So you see Nicaragua laundering 

690
00:27:16,503 --> 00:27:18,614
through the Ortega's regime , tens of 

691
00:27:18,614 --> 00:27:20,781
billions of dollars . You see the FMLA 

692
00:27:20,781 --> 00:27:22,726
and all Salvador participating and 

693
00:27:22,726 --> 00:27:24,614
laundering billions of dollars on 

694
00:27:24,614 --> 00:27:26,837
behalf of bit of you . See all of these 

695
00:27:26,837 --> 00:27:28,670
regional actors in Bolivia , UCF 

696
00:27:28,670 --> 00:27:30,726
Mahmoud Abbas , carrying out certain 

697
00:27:30,726 --> 00:27:32,892
roles in Ecuador under Josh Alcorn s . 

698
00:27:32,892 --> 00:27:34,892
So you have the ability to adapt to 

699
00:27:34,892 --> 00:27:37,003
different strategies of United States 

700
00:27:37,003 --> 00:27:38,948
and others . We're carrying out by 

701
00:27:38,948 --> 00:27:41,114
immediately turning to your network of 

702
00:27:41,114 --> 00:27:43,337
outside support and having them fill in 

703
00:27:43,337 --> 00:27:45,503
the gaps . So what we're seeing now in 

704
00:27:45,503 --> 00:27:47,670
our research is that a lot of the gold 

705
00:27:47,670 --> 00:27:47,560
from Venezuela is not going to make it . 

706
00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:49,760
I win being exported from Nicaragua as 

707
00:27:49,770 --> 00:27:51,790
Nicaraguan gold , which is a way to 

708
00:27:51,790 --> 00:27:53,940
avoid sanctions only possible because 

709
00:27:53,940 --> 00:27:55,773
of the alliance of intentionally 

710
00:27:55,773 --> 00:27:57,551
criminalized states operating a 

711
00:27:57,551 --> 00:27:59,662
criminal enterprise in which criminal 

712
00:27:59,662 --> 00:28:02,260
activity is viewed as a necessary 

713
00:28:02,260 --> 00:28:05,410
support for , uh , for state functions . 

714
00:28:05,470 --> 00:28:07,581
And , I think a few years ago , and I 

715
00:28:07,581 --> 00:28:10,200
was addressing NATO and , uh , her 

716
00:28:10,430 --> 00:28:13,040
indie you when the speakers have said 

717
00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,151
that the problem dealing specifically 

718
00:28:15,151 --> 00:28:17,096
with Russia was that we think role 

719
00:28:17,096 --> 00:28:19,220
playing soccer , and we think yellow 

720
00:28:19,220 --> 00:28:21,360
card makes you will flow down game a 

721
00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:23,360
red card , you're expelled and with 

722
00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:25,527
what the general said , Breedlove said 

723
00:28:25,527 --> 00:28:27,693
at the time , was Russia's not playing 

724
00:28:27,693 --> 00:28:27,680
soccer . They're playing polo on the 

725
00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:29,791
same field , so they don't care about 

726
00:28:29,791 --> 00:28:31,847
yellow cards . They don't care about 

727
00:28:31,847 --> 00:28:33,958
red cards . They don't care about any 

728
00:28:33,958 --> 00:28:36,013
of that stuff , and that's the way I 

729
00:28:36,013 --> 00:28:38,236
think . For a long time we treated in a 

730
00:28:38,236 --> 00:28:37,720
swell up as if they were playing the 

731
00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:39,887
same game on the same field as we were 

732
00:28:39,940 --> 00:28:42,162
now realizing that they had an entirely 

733
00:28:42,162 --> 00:28:44,218
different game going on and that the 

734
00:28:44,218 --> 00:28:46,329
traditional rules and ways of getting 

735
00:28:46,329 --> 00:28:48,440
at them we're not viable . And so you 

736
00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:50,607
have the FARC udon directly supporting 

737
00:28:50,607 --> 00:28:52,773
a criminal enterprise because they are 

738
00:28:52,773 --> 00:28:54,940
criminal enterprises and it spreads to 

739
00:28:54,940 --> 00:28:57,051
the states . I think that that is the 

740
00:28:57,051 --> 00:28:58,940
with the papers doing . I greatly 

741
00:28:58,940 --> 00:29:00,996
appreciate the council giving me the 

742
00:29:00,996 --> 00:29:03,329
opportunity to publish this paper there . 

743
00:29:03,329 --> 00:29:05,051
And this is an attempt to help 

744
00:29:05,051 --> 00:29:07,107
understand the magnitude of what the 

745
00:29:07,107 --> 00:29:09,051
network is , as opposed to being a 

746
00:29:09,051 --> 00:29:11,940
Venezuela specific threat . Thank you 

747
00:29:11,950 --> 00:29:14,810
very much . Do bliss A middle filing . 

748
00:29:15,090 --> 00:29:17,520
It's a pleasure to share these virtual 

749
00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,020
floor with you today , I would like to 

750
00:29:20,020 --> 00:29:23,170
ask you U S foreign policy has made 

751
00:29:23,180 --> 00:29:25,380
extensive use off sanctions to put 

752
00:29:25,380 --> 00:29:28,130
pressure on the majority . Despite the 

753
00:29:28,130 --> 00:29:30,560
sanctions , Maduro continues to serve 

754
00:29:30,570 --> 00:29:32,626
as the fact O'Leary minutes . Well , 

755
00:29:32,740 --> 00:29:34,770
what tactics are you seeing on the 

756
00:29:34,770 --> 00:29:36,881
ground that Maduro is taking to evade 

757
00:29:36,881 --> 00:29:39,700
sanctions and also , what actions is 

758
00:29:39,700 --> 00:29:41,478
self come taking and what other 

759
00:29:41,478 --> 00:29:43,533
measures will it take to combat it ? 

760
00:29:45,340 --> 00:29:47,590
So they like to just pivot back to 

761
00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:50,500
Doug's Mr Faras comments about the 

762
00:29:50,510 --> 00:29:52,566
extensive network , which is broader 

763
00:29:52,566 --> 00:29:55,330
than Venezuela ? I couldn't I agree 

764
00:29:55,340 --> 00:29:57,910
100% with that assessment , and it's a 

765
00:29:58,650 --> 00:30:01,610
It's a been a generation in building 

766
00:30:01,610 --> 00:30:05,450
this network back to Chavez . And 

767
00:30:05,450 --> 00:30:07,790
so that Web , that complex Web , which 

768
00:30:07,790 --> 00:30:11,430
I characterizes this vicious circle is , 

769
00:30:11,430 --> 00:30:14,790
ah is strangling democracy and 

770
00:30:14,970 --> 00:30:17,580
undermining citizen security across 

771
00:30:17,580 --> 00:30:19,302
this whole neighborhood . This 

772
00:30:19,302 --> 00:30:21,524
hemisphere . And it's alarming . And to 

773
00:30:21,524 --> 00:30:23,469
the extent to which external state 

774
00:30:23,469 --> 00:30:25,850
actors and mine actors both in the 

775
00:30:25,850 --> 00:30:28,090
region and out our advantage ing of 

776
00:30:28,090 --> 00:30:30,340
themselves of this is is extensive . 

777
00:30:30,340 --> 00:30:32,630
And so when you look at the sanctions , 

778
00:30:32,630 --> 00:30:34,797
I believe that pressure is working and 

779
00:30:34,797 --> 00:30:37,690
that the whole of government pressure 

780
00:30:37,700 --> 00:30:39,922
that the U . S . Has applied diplomatic 

781
00:30:39,922 --> 00:30:43,800
and economic , um , has worked . The 

782
00:30:43,810 --> 00:30:47,260
international unity has set conditions 

783
00:30:47,260 --> 00:30:50,240
to work up to a point up to the point 

784
00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:52,720
where the U . N wouldn't be able to get 

785
00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:54,942
on the same page because of involvement 

786
00:30:54,942 --> 00:30:57,240
of the the actors that we've discussed 

787
00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:01,080
and others have articulated here from 

788
00:31:01,090 --> 00:31:04,210
colleagues at ST the the sanctions . 

789
00:31:04,210 --> 00:31:06,460
The evading sanctions is a natural 

790
00:31:06,460 --> 00:31:08,510
extension of the types of tactics 

791
00:31:08,510 --> 00:31:10,480
techniques procedures that Maduro 

792
00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:13,160
regime has been using to launder money . 

793
00:31:13,250 --> 00:31:16,210
Make money , gold , whether it's gold , 

794
00:31:16,210 --> 00:31:19,870
diamonds , agriculture , 

795
00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:22,840
business enterprises that they buy the 

796
00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:25,040
used to buy off the military loyalty 

797
00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:27,640
and keep themselves in power . So the 

798
00:31:27,650 --> 00:31:31,130
same types of as , ah , in related 

799
00:31:31,670 --> 00:31:34,320
evasion tactics . That's what they're 

800
00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:36,510
using . Second countries 2nd 3rd 

801
00:31:36,510 --> 00:31:40,330
countries and front companies , crypto 

802
00:31:40,330 --> 00:31:43,880
currency , money , laundry . And so the 

803
00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:46,690
key to putting more pressure on is in 

804
00:31:46,690 --> 00:31:49,370
the financial room and get after the 

805
00:31:49,370 --> 00:31:51,426
money flows . And we're working that 

806
00:31:51,426 --> 00:31:53,037
space hard . But it's it's a 

807
00:31:53,037 --> 00:31:56,190
complicated space toe work in It's d o 

808
00:31:56,190 --> 00:31:59,700
d supported and we're supporting our 

809
00:31:59,990 --> 00:32:02,101
colleagues across the interagency and 

810
00:32:02,101 --> 00:32:03,879
international partners with the 

811
00:32:03,879 --> 00:32:05,879
increased intelligence sharing . So 

812
00:32:05,879 --> 00:32:08,190
passing what we know about all the 

813
00:32:08,190 --> 00:32:10,134
illicit activities , including the 

814
00:32:10,134 --> 00:32:11,857
sanctions of Asians , are very 

815
00:32:11,857 --> 00:32:14,400
important and where where we can on 

816
00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:16,511
where we want to . We we put that out 

817
00:32:16,511 --> 00:32:19,010
to our diplomats in the in the public 

818
00:32:19,010 --> 00:32:22,690
space to call out the what Maduro's 

819
00:32:22,690 --> 00:32:25,390
doing with the complicity of 

820
00:32:25,390 --> 00:32:27,446
international actors to mortgage the 

821
00:32:27,446 --> 00:32:29,612
future of not just Venezuela . But the 

822
00:32:29,612 --> 00:32:31,950
hemispheres , those that strain is 

823
00:32:31,950 --> 00:32:35,220
being felt across . And Mr and uh and 

824
00:32:35,220 --> 00:32:38,150
we see it . We see it with the the what 

825
00:32:38,150 --> 00:32:40,428
it's done to the economy's pre cove it , 

826
00:32:40,428 --> 00:32:42,650
and it will only accelerate that trends 

827
00:32:42,650 --> 00:32:44,761
as we move forward . So it's a It's a 

828
00:32:44,761 --> 00:32:47,390
great question . It all points back to 

829
00:32:47,390 --> 00:32:50,410
this Larger Web is vicious circle 

830
00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:54,250
and and the key going forward is , is 

831
00:32:54,250 --> 00:32:56,570
how we can better share intelligence 

832
00:32:56,570 --> 00:32:58,292
and then how the international 

833
00:32:58,292 --> 00:33:00,403
community can better leverage that to 

834
00:33:00,403 --> 00:33:03,310
force and change the behavior . Maduro 

835
00:33:03,310 --> 00:33:06,180
and the external state actors Thank you , 

836
00:33:06,180 --> 00:33:08,360
Admiral , a quick reminder to our 

837
00:33:08,370 --> 00:33:10,860
audience that you can submit questions 

838
00:33:10,860 --> 00:33:13,082
over the soon Q . And A feature will be 

839
00:33:13,082 --> 00:33:15,082
taking one or two at the end of the 

840
00:33:15,082 --> 00:33:17,082
conversation . Definitely for you , 

841
00:33:17,082 --> 00:33:18,916
baby . Would you like to work in 

842
00:33:18,916 --> 00:33:21,138
comments on innovation off sanctions by 

843
00:33:21,138 --> 00:33:23,550
the modular Jim ? Sure , Thanks very 

844
00:33:23,550 --> 00:33:26,120
much , Diego . So I I actually I also 

845
00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:28,287
want to go back to something that does 

846
00:33:28,287 --> 00:33:30,509
said which is , he said . You know , we 

847
00:33:30,509 --> 00:33:32,731
assumed that they were playing soccer , 

848
00:33:32,731 --> 00:33:32,520
but they were playing a totally 

849
00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:34,740
different game , and I think , um , 

850
00:33:34,750 --> 00:33:36,950
this is really relevant when we think 

851
00:33:36,950 --> 00:33:39,220
about sanctions evasion inside 

852
00:33:39,220 --> 00:33:42,060
Venezuela because I think , ah , huge 

853
00:33:42,060 --> 00:33:44,282
part of the resilience . So to speak of 

854
00:33:44,282 --> 00:33:46,870
Maduro regime is because we assumed 

855
00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:50,040
that he was trying to run a government 

856
00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:52,151
right , and you need a certain amount 

857
00:33:52,151 --> 00:33:53,818
of money in order to run that 

858
00:33:53,818 --> 00:33:55,873
government is it Turns out he wasn't 

859
00:33:55,873 --> 00:33:57,873
trying to run a government . He was 

860
00:33:57,873 --> 00:33:59,762
simply trying to give largesse to 

861
00:33:59,762 --> 00:34:01,873
people who would ensure that he would 

862
00:34:01,873 --> 00:34:03,984
remain in power . So is a fundamental 

863
00:34:03,984 --> 00:34:05,929
misunderstanding how much money he 

864
00:34:05,929 --> 00:34:07,818
needs to stay in power because he 

865
00:34:07,818 --> 00:34:09,984
doesn't care about providing essential 

866
00:34:09,984 --> 00:34:12,096
services to the people of Venezuela . 

867
00:34:12,096 --> 00:34:13,818
We see that most clearly in in 

868
00:34:13,818 --> 00:34:15,818
corruption cases involving the clap 

869
00:34:15,818 --> 00:34:17,762
program and other things that were 

870
00:34:17,762 --> 00:34:19,929
really created in an effort to provide 

871
00:34:19,929 --> 00:34:22,096
for the people of Venezuela . Um , you 

872
00:34:22,096 --> 00:34:24,151
know , I do partially wanted quibble 

873
00:34:24,151 --> 00:34:25,984
with the idea that the sanctions 

874
00:34:25,984 --> 00:34:27,984
evasion has kind of been successful 

875
00:34:27,984 --> 00:34:29,929
because I think we're seeing those 

876
00:34:29,929 --> 00:34:31,984
sanctions have an enormous impact on 

877
00:34:31,984 --> 00:34:33,984
his accent . Resource is , but once 

878
00:34:33,984 --> 00:34:36,096
again , you know he really needs less 

879
00:34:36,096 --> 00:34:38,207
money when he doesn't even pretend to 

880
00:34:38,207 --> 00:34:40,151
spend the money on Is people think 

881
00:34:40,151 --> 00:34:42,318
there's a second reason why Maduro has 

882
00:34:42,318 --> 00:34:44,484
proven resilient in the face that some 

883
00:34:44,484 --> 00:34:46,484
of the most comprehensive sanctions 

884
00:34:46,484 --> 00:34:48,596
that the US government has imposed on 

885
00:34:48,596 --> 00:34:50,762
country . And this is again going back 

886
00:34:50,762 --> 00:34:52,762
to the core of this discussion that 

887
00:34:52,762 --> 00:34:52,650
he's doubling down on earning money 

888
00:34:52,650 --> 00:34:55,350
through illicit means , where sanctions 

889
00:34:55,540 --> 00:34:57,640
have much less of an impact because 

890
00:34:57,640 --> 00:35:00,180
they're more focused on what would 

891
00:35:00,180 --> 00:35:02,347
otherwise be legal sources of income . 

892
00:35:02,830 --> 00:35:05,052
So he's always been involved in drugs , 

893
00:35:05,052 --> 00:35:07,108
gold smuggling . But he's now really 

894
00:35:07,108 --> 00:35:09,320
dependent on those proceeds on . And 

895
00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:11,320
and as Doug mentioned , he's really 

896
00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:13,320
dependent on criminal and terrorist 

897
00:35:13,320 --> 00:35:15,098
networks that are his defective 

898
00:35:15,098 --> 00:35:17,370
partners . And third , just going back 

899
00:35:17,370 --> 00:35:20,250
to our discussion about about Iran , 

900
00:35:20,580 --> 00:35:22,524
he's really doubling down on these 

901
00:35:22,524 --> 00:35:24,524
alliances with autocratic regimes , 

902
00:35:24,524 --> 00:35:26,636
whether it's Cuba , Iran , Russia and 

903
00:35:26,636 --> 00:35:29,180
others . It's actually really ironic 

904
00:35:29,190 --> 00:35:31,670
because , as we all know , Venezuela 

905
00:35:31,670 --> 00:35:34,350
was really Cuba's patron when the Cuban 

906
00:35:34,350 --> 00:35:36,490
economy fell into total disrepair 

907
00:35:36,490 --> 00:35:38,546
following the collapse of the Soviet 

908
00:35:38,546 --> 00:35:41,300
Union . Um , and now Venezuela kind of 

909
00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:44,270
needs a patron and I presumably is 

910
00:35:44,270 --> 00:35:46,890
looking to Iran to provide that . But 

911
00:35:46,900 --> 00:35:49,450
it has really limited three candidates 

912
00:35:49,450 --> 00:35:51,339
for who will provide that support 

913
00:35:51,339 --> 00:35:53,394
because how illegitimate this regime 

914
00:35:53,394 --> 00:35:56,750
really is on dso eso a country that was 

915
00:35:56,750 --> 00:35:58,861
one supporting another country is not 

916
00:35:58,861 --> 00:36:00,972
really booking for others to boost to 

917
00:36:00,972 --> 00:36:03,083
boost it up . And I think that's what 

918
00:36:03,083 --> 00:36:05,306
reflection is well off the significance 

919
00:36:05,306 --> 00:36:07,417
of US sanctions , of the significance 

920
00:36:07,417 --> 00:36:09,194
of the policy that has involved 

921
00:36:09,194 --> 00:36:11,417
bringing in other actors , whether it's 

922
00:36:11,417 --> 00:36:14,230
the region through the Rio Treaty , to 

923
00:36:14,230 --> 00:36:17,940
impose sanctions on individuals who are 

924
00:36:17,950 --> 00:36:20,117
close to the Maduro regime in enabling 

925
00:36:20,117 --> 00:36:22,061
them to continue to repress of the 

926
00:36:22,061 --> 00:36:24,760
people of Venezuela . So I think our 

927
00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:27,670
sanctions will continue to be effective 

928
00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:30,240
in in in their objective of really 

929
00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:32,351
putting enough pressure on the Maduro 

930
00:36:32,351 --> 00:36:34,296
regime so that it will come to the 

931
00:36:34,296 --> 00:36:36,296
table toe , have a genuine and good 

932
00:36:36,296 --> 00:36:38,407
faith conversation about how we could 

933
00:36:38,407 --> 00:36:40,573
get a transitional government in place 

934
00:36:40,573 --> 00:36:42,740
inside Venezuela . Thank you very much 

935
00:36:42,740 --> 00:36:45,870
with Betty , do less . I want to go 

936
00:36:45,870 --> 00:36:47,930
back to you . Let's people their 

937
00:36:47,930 --> 00:36:50,300
conversation and now center on the role 

938
00:36:50,300 --> 00:36:53,290
of Europe . Could you please explain to 

939
00:36:53,290 --> 00:36:55,530
the audience how the regime is using 

940
00:36:55,540 --> 00:36:58,470
European banking structures to move and 

941
00:36:58,470 --> 00:37:00,650
hide billions and billions of dollars 

942
00:37:00,650 --> 00:37:04,440
in assets ? Thank you , Diego . I 

943
00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:06,770
think that first it is important to 

944
00:37:06,770 --> 00:37:08,992
distinguish the fact that the Europeans 

945
00:37:08,992 --> 00:37:10,937
air not part of the joint criminal 

946
00:37:10,937 --> 00:37:13,048
enterprise and not criminalize states 

947
00:37:13,048 --> 00:37:15,214
in that sense . But if you look at the 

948
00:37:15,214 --> 00:37:15,040
history of the boulevard and joint 

949
00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:17,151
criminal enterprise , they're drawing 

950
00:37:17,151 --> 00:37:19,318
on multiple decades of experience from 

951
00:37:19,318 --> 00:37:21,790
the FMLN in El Salvador , running their 

952
00:37:21,790 --> 00:37:23,734
contraband weapons into and you'll 

953
00:37:23,734 --> 00:37:25,957
solve in Nicaragua you're wrong , which 

954
00:37:25,957 --> 00:37:28,440
has extensive experience in sanctions 

955
00:37:28,440 --> 00:37:30,218
busting North Korea in our nick 

956
00:37:30,218 --> 00:37:32,440
Elastico , the president's son , spends 

957
00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:34,607
ah , uh , enormous amount of time over 

958
00:37:34,607 --> 00:37:37,170
in the last few months . So they have . 

959
00:37:37,180 --> 00:37:39,402
They have learned over time that Europe 

960
00:37:39,402 --> 00:37:41,458
is much more tolerant than much less 

961
00:37:41,458 --> 00:37:43,402
willing to clamp down on financial 

962
00:37:43,402 --> 00:37:45,513
institutions over things that they do 

963
00:37:45,513 --> 00:37:47,569
not view is a particular problem and 

964
00:37:47,569 --> 00:37:49,880
there particular area of influence . So 

965
00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:52,490
I think the what we've seen is 

966
00:37:52,570 --> 00:37:54,681
particularly flows into Spain , where 

967
00:37:54,681 --> 00:37:56,790
there's been a friendly relations 

968
00:37:56,860 --> 00:38:00,050
between the Spanish government and the 

969
00:38:00,150 --> 00:38:02,660
Maduro regime than the U is a whole 

970
00:38:03,010 --> 00:38:05,200
we've tracked , and I know that others 

971
00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:07,422
have looked at this enormous amounts of 

972
00:38:07,422 --> 00:38:09,367
money that flow into into Portugal 

973
00:38:09,367 --> 00:38:11,589
because it's a relatively easy place to 

974
00:38:11,589 --> 00:38:13,811
get into it . We see in our work on the 

975
00:38:13,811 --> 00:38:15,867
external networks enormous amount of 

976
00:38:15,867 --> 00:38:18,033
front companies set up in Luxembourg , 

977
00:38:18,033 --> 00:38:21,800
in Switzerland in the famous case of 

978
00:38:21,810 --> 00:38:24,380
the Bank of the Andorra in , uh , in 

979
00:38:24,380 --> 00:38:27,140
Andorra . So you have a much more 

980
00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:29,700
tolerant state they're in . These folks 

981
00:38:29,700 --> 00:38:31,922
who have dealt with sanctions for years 

982
00:38:31,922 --> 00:38:34,033
know where the cracks are . They know 

983
00:38:34,033 --> 00:38:36,256
where the scenes are . So if you if you 

984
00:38:36,256 --> 00:38:38,478
read the history of the of the building 

985
00:38:38,478 --> 00:38:40,589
of , ah , North Korea's atomic , uh , 

986
00:38:40,589 --> 00:38:42,780
capacity back in the eighties and 70 

987
00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:45,071
they use an entirely European network 

988
00:38:45,071 --> 00:38:46,980
to do that and elements of those 

989
00:38:46,980 --> 00:38:49,147
networks survived and some of the same 

990
00:38:49,147 --> 00:38:50,980
players . One of the things that 

991
00:38:50,980 --> 00:38:53,036
astounds me because I'm old and I've 

992
00:38:53,036 --> 00:38:55,202
been doing this a long time is you see 

993
00:38:55,202 --> 00:38:57,258
a lot of the same players turning up 

994
00:38:57,258 --> 00:38:56,590
again against some of the people that 

995
00:38:56,590 --> 00:39:00,480
were helping the Sandinistas do 

996
00:39:00,480 --> 00:39:02,591
different things are now handling the 

997
00:39:02,591 --> 00:39:04,860
money for Daniel Ortega in in Europe . 

998
00:39:04,990 --> 00:39:07,157
Some of the folks that were setting up 

999
00:39:07,157 --> 00:39:09,268
the FMLN logistics with 70 smiting on 

1000
00:39:09,268 --> 00:39:11,490
others were running billions of dollars 

1001
00:39:11,490 --> 00:39:13,657
to repair the message through the same 

1002
00:39:13,657 --> 00:39:15,823
structures that they used in the war . 

1003
00:39:15,823 --> 00:39:15,800
They go back to the 19 eighties , so 

1004
00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:17,856
you have this wealth of experience . 

1005
00:39:17,856 --> 00:39:19,911
They're not inventing anything new . 

1006
00:39:19,911 --> 00:39:21,911
They're simply exploiting and going 

1007
00:39:21,911 --> 00:39:23,967
down the road . They've already know 

1008
00:39:23,967 --> 00:39:25,856
exploring and pushing further and 

1009
00:39:25,856 --> 00:39:28,078
they're very creative , very innovative 

1010
00:39:28,078 --> 00:39:27,810
and they understand the cracks . But I 

1011
00:39:27,810 --> 00:39:29,977
think that what we underestimate a lot 

1012
00:39:29,977 --> 00:39:31,977
of times is that they some of these 

1013
00:39:31,977 --> 00:39:34,032
with the Cubans , they've been doing 

1014
00:39:34,032 --> 00:39:36,254
this for 30 years and so they're very , 

1015
00:39:36,254 --> 00:39:38,199
very experienced and they know the 

1016
00:39:38,199 --> 00:39:40,254
court players who are willing to run 

1017
00:39:40,254 --> 00:39:42,366
the risks and do certain things for a 

1018
00:39:42,366 --> 00:39:44,588
lot of money and they're willing to pay 

1019
00:39:44,588 --> 00:39:46,699
that money . So I think Europe has to 

1020
00:39:46,699 --> 00:39:46,690
become a little more aware of the 

1021
00:39:46,990 --> 00:39:49,500
regional threat that the regime poses 

1022
00:39:49,500 --> 00:39:51,722
in the network poses in Latin America , 

1023
00:39:51,722 --> 00:39:53,944
which will also directly impact them on 

1024
00:39:53,944 --> 00:39:55,778
the amount of cocaine this thing 

1025
00:39:55,778 --> 00:39:57,944
shipped them on . The amount of gold , 

1026
00:39:57,944 --> 00:39:57,910
this makeshift them and crashing their 

1027
00:39:57,910 --> 00:40:00,320
mark is the real estate boom and Spain 

1028
00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:03,590
is in part due to gross inflation of 

1029
00:40:03,590 --> 00:40:06,310
prices due to Venezuelan corruption . 

1030
00:40:06,500 --> 00:40:08,690
So there it doesn't impact them and I 

1031
00:40:08,690 --> 00:40:11,110
think that helping them understand that 

1032
00:40:11,110 --> 00:40:13,210
and getting much more compliance of 

1033
00:40:13,210 --> 00:40:16,120
already existing laws to people who 

1034
00:40:18,750 --> 00:40:20,639
right they may not understand how 

1035
00:40:20,639 --> 00:40:22,972
important it is . I could go a long way . 

1036
00:40:24,210 --> 00:40:26,266
Thank you , Louis . They beautifully 

1037
00:40:26,266 --> 00:40:28,266
petty any thoughts on the potential 

1038
00:40:28,266 --> 00:40:30,266
role of Europe to combat the Maduro 

1039
00:40:30,266 --> 00:40:32,321
regime . Solicit network . Douglas . 

1040
00:40:32,321 --> 00:40:35,380
Just describe for us . Yeah , I think I 

1041
00:40:35,390 --> 00:40:37,390
think Europe is really essential in 

1042
00:40:37,390 --> 00:40:39,723
this . As Doug was mentioned , you know , 

1043
00:40:39,723 --> 00:40:41,720
we have , um , we really have been 

1044
00:40:41,720 --> 00:40:43,664
focused on coordinating with these 

1045
00:40:43,664 --> 00:40:45,553
countries , whether it's paying , 

1046
00:40:45,553 --> 00:40:47,609
whether it's Portugal , whether it's 

1047
00:40:47,609 --> 00:40:49,720
the UK , I think that the recent Bank 

1048
00:40:49,720 --> 00:40:51,442
of England ruling is sort of a 

1049
00:40:51,442 --> 00:40:53,164
testament to the importance of 

1050
00:40:53,164 --> 00:40:55,387
countries recognizing in term President 

1051
00:40:55,387 --> 00:40:57,164
Guido is a matter of policy and 

1052
00:40:57,164 --> 00:40:59,053
practice as well . In that case , 

1053
00:40:59,053 --> 00:41:01,220
really billions of dollars for a state 

1054
00:41:01,220 --> 00:41:03,331
that the Maduro regime was was trying 

1055
00:41:03,331 --> 00:41:05,387
to steal for itself that are not the 

1056
00:41:05,387 --> 00:41:07,276
legitimate property of the Maduro 

1057
00:41:07,276 --> 00:41:08,887
regime . So there is a legal 

1058
00:41:08,887 --> 00:41:11,109
implication of this recognition when we 

1059
00:41:11,109 --> 00:41:12,831
talk about almost 60 countries 

1060
00:41:12,831 --> 00:41:14,998
recognizing why dough there's a reason 

1061
00:41:14,998 --> 00:41:17,220
why that matters , it's it's not purely 

1062
00:41:17,220 --> 00:41:19,442
symbolic . Um , you know , I think when 

1063
00:41:19,442 --> 00:41:19,390
it comes to combating other listed 

1064
00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:21,360
threat networks and Europe's 

1065
00:41:21,360 --> 00:41:23,416
responsibility , there's the banking 

1066
00:41:23,416 --> 00:41:25,416
sector . And there's also , as Doug 

1067
00:41:25,416 --> 00:41:27,450
mentioned , elicit goals . When you 

1068
00:41:27,460 --> 00:41:29,682
look at how the international community 

1069
00:41:29,682 --> 00:41:31,793
combated things like blood diamonds , 

1070
00:41:31,793 --> 00:41:34,520
for example , really required a global , 

1071
00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:37,720
comprehensive approach in order to help 

1072
00:41:37,720 --> 00:41:40,470
identify the best due diligence 

1073
00:41:40,470 --> 00:41:43,470
practices the best ways of combating 

1074
00:41:43,470 --> 00:41:45,940
the supply chain there . Um , you know , 

1075
00:41:45,940 --> 00:41:48,051
unfortunately , gold is very distinct 

1076
00:41:48,051 --> 00:41:50,310
from diamonds . It's not as easy . It's 

1077
00:41:50,310 --> 00:41:52,199
almost impossible to identify the 

1078
00:41:52,199 --> 00:41:54,440
original origin of gold . But what I 

1079
00:41:54,440 --> 00:41:58,190
think we can dio , um , is is by 

1080
00:41:58,190 --> 00:42:00,134
building strong relationships with 

1081
00:42:00,134 --> 00:42:03,170
European countries . We can help ensure 

1082
00:42:03,170 --> 00:42:05,059
appropriate due diligence for the 

1083
00:42:05,059 --> 00:42:06,920
global supply chain of gold by 

1084
00:42:07,600 --> 00:42:10,460
monitoring the exports of gold mining 

1085
00:42:10,470 --> 00:42:12,692
or extraction equipment , for example , 

1086
00:42:12,692 --> 00:42:14,510
and material by promoting best 

1087
00:42:14,510 --> 00:42:16,566
practices in the jewelry industry to 

1088
00:42:16,566 --> 00:42:18,700
promote for kind of prevent the types 

1089
00:42:18,710 --> 00:42:20,599
of mining practices that keep the 

1090
00:42:20,599 --> 00:42:22,980
majority human power . And so again , I 

1091
00:42:22,980 --> 00:42:26,160
think this really requires a major 

1092
00:42:26,160 --> 00:42:28,216
priority of the Trump administration 

1093
00:42:28,216 --> 00:42:29,938
now , which is a comprehensive 

1094
00:42:29,938 --> 00:42:32,280
international approach to addressing 

1095
00:42:32,450 --> 00:42:35,380
majority continued usurpation . It's 

1096
00:42:35,380 --> 00:42:37,436
not something that the United States 

1097
00:42:37,436 --> 00:42:39,491
can do alone . It's not something up 

1098
00:42:39,491 --> 00:42:41,713
the Venezuelan people can do alone . We 

1099
00:42:41,713 --> 00:42:43,936
really do need our European partners to 

1100
00:42:43,936 --> 00:42:46,250
step up to the plate . Teoh increase 

1101
00:42:46,250 --> 00:42:48,750
the number of sanctions to make sure 

1102
00:42:48,750 --> 00:42:50,917
that they're protecting assets for the 

1103
00:42:50,917 --> 00:42:53,028
Venezuelan people and to not fall for 

1104
00:42:53,028 --> 00:42:55,250
the tricks that the Maduro regime tries 

1105
00:42:55,250 --> 00:42:57,530
to play . Thank you , actually have a 

1106
00:42:57,530 --> 00:42:59,560
follow up question for you talking 

1107
00:42:59,560 --> 00:43:02,490
about Europe . A swill ? No . Two days 

1108
00:43:02,490 --> 00:43:04,379
ago , you said Burrell , the High 

1109
00:43:04,379 --> 00:43:06,490
representative off the European Union 

1110
00:43:06,490 --> 00:43:08,657
for for Heifers , released a statement 

1111
00:43:08,657 --> 00:43:11,370
saying that and I quote conditions are 

1112
00:43:11,370 --> 00:43:14,150
not met at this stage for a transparent , 

1113
00:43:14,160 --> 00:43:16,600
inclusive , free and for electoral 

1114
00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:18,830
processing ministry . How do you see 

1115
00:43:18,830 --> 00:43:20,830
the response from the international 

1116
00:43:20,830 --> 00:43:22,608
community following these enemy 

1117
00:43:22,608 --> 00:43:24,720
illegitimate elections , especially 

1118
00:43:24,720 --> 00:43:27,030
even what is increasingly know about 

1119
00:43:27,030 --> 00:43:29,197
the criminal nature off Maduro off the 

1120
00:43:29,197 --> 00:43:31,252
Melora Jim It's foreigner ships with 

1121
00:43:31,252 --> 00:43:33,419
irregular armed groups and involvement 

1122
00:43:33,419 --> 00:43:35,086
in activities . So just narco 

1123
00:43:35,086 --> 00:43:37,086
trafficking and illegal gold mining 

1124
00:43:37,086 --> 00:43:39,640
just to name a few . Yeah , I mean , I 

1125
00:43:39,640 --> 00:43:42,990
think the most important thing is is 

1126
00:43:42,990 --> 00:43:45,460
for us as an international community to 

1127
00:43:45,460 --> 00:43:48,400
not fall for the Madura regimes tricks 

1128
00:43:49,140 --> 00:43:51,196
these alleged their fraudulent . You 

1129
00:43:51,196 --> 00:43:53,029
know , that's clear in Burrell's 

1130
00:43:53,029 --> 00:43:55,190
statement , but it's been clear for 

1131
00:43:55,200 --> 00:43:57,520
four months prior to now , um , you 

1132
00:43:57,520 --> 00:44:00,760
know , they've declared individuals 

1133
00:44:01,390 --> 00:44:03,668
it legitimate for running for election . 

1134
00:44:03,668 --> 00:44:05,390
They've completely ignored the 

1135
00:44:05,390 --> 00:44:07,612
Venezuelan Constitution and appointed a 

1136
00:44:07,612 --> 00:44:09,501
new electoral council outside the 

1137
00:44:09,501 --> 00:44:11,390
boundaries of what's even legally 

1138
00:44:11,390 --> 00:44:14,150
possible for them . They have taken 

1139
00:44:14,160 --> 00:44:17,440
over the leadership of opposition 

1140
00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:19,496
political parties . They've declared 

1141
00:44:19,496 --> 00:44:21,730
opposition political parties as being 

1142
00:44:21,900 --> 00:44:24,000
terrorist groups . There's full 

1143
00:44:24,000 --> 00:44:26,222
censorship . They have almost no voting 

1144
00:44:26,222 --> 00:44:28,540
machines , and they throw people in 

1145
00:44:28,540 --> 00:44:31,100
prison for indicating dissent . It's 

1146
00:44:31,100 --> 00:44:33,267
not just that they haven't met all the 

1147
00:44:33,267 --> 00:44:35,433
conditions . As for L mentioned , they 

1148
00:44:35,433 --> 00:44:37,489
haven't met any of the international 

1149
00:44:37,489 --> 00:44:39,600
conditions . Um , and I think there's 

1150
00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:41,656
something else that needs to be said 

1151
00:44:41,656 --> 00:44:43,878
here . You cannot have a partially free 

1152
00:44:43,878 --> 00:44:45,711
election . You , I don't have an 

1153
00:44:45,711 --> 00:44:47,711
election that's free or you have an 

1154
00:44:47,711 --> 00:44:49,656
election that's not free . There's 

1155
00:44:49,656 --> 00:44:51,878
really no ability to take a look at you 

1156
00:44:51,878 --> 00:44:54,100
know all of the international standards 

1157
00:44:54,100 --> 00:44:56,322
for minimum conditions and say , Well , 

1158
00:44:56,322 --> 00:44:58,211
the Maduro was you met one or two 

1159
00:44:58,211 --> 00:45:00,211
reviews , so it's a free election . 

1160
00:45:00,211 --> 00:45:02,322
Even if they do meet wanted to , they 

1161
00:45:02,322 --> 00:45:04,378
have to meet all of those conditions 

1162
00:45:04,378 --> 00:45:06,211
because the reason those are the 

1163
00:45:06,211 --> 00:45:08,322
minimum conditions is because that is 

1164
00:45:08,322 --> 00:45:10,378
the absolute floor for what would be 

1165
00:45:10,378 --> 00:45:12,489
considered a free election . And when 

1166
00:45:12,489 --> 00:45:14,544
you have the complete censorship off 

1167
00:45:14,544 --> 00:45:16,600
all of these parties , when you have 

1168
00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:18,822
the people you know , fearing for their 

1169
00:45:18,822 --> 00:45:21,220
lives , for advocating or campaigning . 

1170
00:45:21,620 --> 00:45:23,690
This is why the opposition made the 

1171
00:45:23,690 --> 00:45:26,300
determination on and an issued a 

1172
00:45:26,300 --> 00:45:28,522
statement . I think it was a few days , 

1173
00:45:28,522 --> 00:45:30,689
though , noting that they they are not 

1174
00:45:30,689 --> 00:45:32,911
going to participate in these elections 

1175
00:45:32,911 --> 00:45:35,078
because they're not elections . And we 

1176
00:45:35,078 --> 00:45:37,189
need to stop calling them that . Um , 

1177
00:45:37,189 --> 00:45:39,411
we , as an international community need 

1178
00:45:39,411 --> 00:45:42,540
to first be very , very clear on and 

1179
00:45:42,550 --> 00:45:44,328
unified that this is not a free 

1180
00:45:44,328 --> 00:45:46,490
election . We also need to do more to 

1181
00:45:46,490 --> 00:45:48,657
support the interim government and the 

1182
00:45:48,657 --> 00:45:50,880
opposition in its fight . They're not 

1183
00:45:50,880 --> 00:45:52,991
running , but they're doing something 

1184
00:45:52,991 --> 00:45:55,102
much , much more important , which is 

1185
00:45:55,102 --> 00:45:57,324
they're putting their lives on the line 

1186
00:45:57,324 --> 00:45:59,658
on a daily basis to confront a dictator . 

1187
00:45:59,658 --> 00:46:01,880
The international community needs to do 

1188
00:46:01,880 --> 00:46:04,102
more . To stand by them needs to pledge 

1189
00:46:04,102 --> 00:46:03,880
transition support , Something that 

1190
00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:06,170
Assistant Secretary Natali mentioned is 

1191
00:46:06,170 --> 00:46:09,530
the importance of security assistance 

1192
00:46:09,540 --> 00:46:11,850
in a transition . The Maduro regime has 

1193
00:46:11,850 --> 00:46:15,570
built up the capacity to , uh to cause 

1194
00:46:15,570 --> 00:46:17,737
chaos , even if there's a transitional 

1195
00:46:17,737 --> 00:46:19,348
government . So we all is an 

1196
00:46:19,348 --> 00:46:21,514
international community need to pledge 

1197
00:46:21,514 --> 00:46:23,570
to be with the Venezuelans when that 

1198
00:46:23,570 --> 00:46:25,830
moment comes , Um and we also need to 

1199
00:46:25,830 --> 00:46:27,830
make it clear what the consequences 

1200
00:46:27,830 --> 00:46:30,120
will be for the Maduro regime once 

1201
00:46:30,120 --> 00:46:32,287
these elections take place on December 

1202
00:46:32,287 --> 00:46:34,450
6 . So , um you know , I think the 

1203
00:46:34,450 --> 00:46:36,617
first step of making it clear that the 

1204
00:46:36,617 --> 00:46:38,839
minimum conditions haven't been met . I 

1205
00:46:38,839 --> 00:46:41,117
think barrel statements made that very , 

1206
00:46:41,117 --> 00:46:43,228
very clear . But I also think that we 

1207
00:46:43,228 --> 00:46:45,228
need to remain united and we and we 

1208
00:46:45,228 --> 00:46:47,283
need to ensure that there are actual 

1209
00:46:47,283 --> 00:46:49,980
actions and consequences for this 

1210
00:46:49,980 --> 00:46:52,036
behavior . Because if there aren't , 

1211
00:46:52,036 --> 00:46:54,091
the Maduro regime will continue with 

1212
00:46:54,091 --> 00:46:57,310
impunity . Thank you . Deputy Assistant 

1213
00:46:57,310 --> 00:46:59,088
Secretary Natalie Talking about 

1214
00:46:59,088 --> 00:47:00,977
civilization . You have extensive 

1215
00:47:00,977 --> 00:47:02,532
experience in post conflict 

1216
00:47:02,532 --> 00:47:04,670
stabilization in Pakistan , Iraq , 

1217
00:47:04,680 --> 00:47:07,490
among other locations . What makes 

1218
00:47:07,490 --> 00:47:09,750
practices does that experience offer 

1219
00:47:09,750 --> 00:47:11,861
for stabilization in Venezuela ? What 

1220
00:47:11,861 --> 00:47:13,920
is the U S doing to coordinate with 

1221
00:47:13,920 --> 00:47:16,142
partners to prepare for civilization in 

1222
00:47:16,142 --> 00:47:19,190
a postmodern It's Well , thanks , Diego . 

1223
00:47:19,200 --> 00:47:21,430
I'll make this quick . One of the 

1224
00:47:21,440 --> 00:47:23,800
points that we are working on it CSO is 

1225
00:47:23,800 --> 00:47:25,744
to improve the way that the United 

1226
00:47:25,744 --> 00:47:27,356
States government approaches 

1227
00:47:27,356 --> 00:47:29,300
stabilization . And I point to the 

1228
00:47:29,300 --> 00:47:31,300
Global Fragility Act that President 

1229
00:47:31,300 --> 00:47:33,940
Trump signed in December of 2019 . This 

1230
00:47:33,940 --> 00:47:35,551
is a very important piece of 

1231
00:47:35,551 --> 00:47:37,718
legislation , and this is the way that 

1232
00:47:37,718 --> 00:47:39,884
the United States is moving forward in 

1233
00:47:39,884 --> 00:47:42,107
the way that we approach fragile states 

1234
00:47:42,107 --> 00:47:43,884
and the way that we're going to 

1235
00:47:43,884 --> 00:47:46,051
approach the lessons we learned in the 

1236
00:47:46,051 --> 00:47:48,218
past specifically to countries such as 

1237
00:47:48,218 --> 00:47:50,440
Venezuela . And as I mentioned , we are 

1238
00:47:50,440 --> 00:47:52,551
coordinating the interagency planning 

1239
00:47:52,551 --> 00:47:54,051
so that we can look at the 

1240
00:47:54,051 --> 00:47:56,051
stabilization needs in Venezuela as 

1241
00:47:56,051 --> 00:47:58,218
they prepare for a transition . Now we 

1242
00:47:58,218 --> 00:48:00,329
believe that the best pathway Ford is 

1243
00:48:00,329 --> 00:48:02,500
outlined in the democratic transition 

1244
00:48:02,510 --> 00:48:05,190
framework , which calls for again a 

1245
00:48:05,190 --> 00:48:07,301
transitional government to administer 

1246
00:48:07,301 --> 00:48:09,412
free and fair elections . As Deputy , 

1247
00:48:09,412 --> 00:48:11,523
says the secretary , Philip any noted 

1248
00:48:11,523 --> 00:48:13,301
really free elections , not not 

1249
00:48:13,301 --> 00:48:16,330
partially free elections , just to look 

1250
00:48:16,330 --> 00:48:18,163
at one of the one of the ways we 

1251
00:48:18,163 --> 00:48:20,330
approaches in your rock . We will able 

1252
00:48:20,330 --> 00:48:22,552
and I want to focus again and reinforce 

1253
00:48:22,552 --> 00:48:24,441
what my colleagues said about the 

1254
00:48:24,441 --> 00:48:26,163
importance of an international 

1255
00:48:26,163 --> 00:48:28,274
coalition , and this touches upon not 

1256
00:48:28,274 --> 00:48:30,280
just Venezuela but Iran , China , 

1257
00:48:30,470 --> 00:48:32,581
Russia and Cuba . But we were able to 

1258
00:48:32,581 --> 00:48:34,803
bring together over 50 countries in the 

1259
00:48:34,803 --> 00:48:37,940
fight against Isis and this this 

1260
00:48:38,190 --> 00:48:40,380
condition created a funding mechanism 

1261
00:48:40,390 --> 00:48:43,100
which remember we called the UNDP s off 

1262
00:48:43,110 --> 00:48:46,040
funding facility for stabilization . So 

1263
00:48:46,040 --> 00:48:48,240
which the United States and 27 other 

1264
00:48:48,240 --> 00:48:50,990
countries contributed $1.2 billion . 

1265
00:48:51,570 --> 00:48:54,990
That works . This'll help centralize 

1266
00:48:55,040 --> 00:48:57,207
stabilization , funding and all of our 

1267
00:48:57,207 --> 00:48:59,380
efforts in Iraq . So to date we have 

1268
00:48:59,380 --> 00:49:02,530
more than 4300 stabilization programs 

1269
00:49:02,540 --> 00:49:05,510
in Iraq that air planned under way or 

1270
00:49:05,510 --> 00:49:07,700
completed . So one of the lessons 

1271
00:49:07,700 --> 00:49:09,867
learned in one of the ways that we can 

1272
00:49:09,867 --> 00:49:12,200
look at Venezuela is through this prism . 

1273
00:49:12,200 --> 00:49:14,033
And again , we also have similar 

1274
00:49:14,033 --> 00:49:15,867
objectives to work . We want the 

1275
00:49:15,867 --> 00:49:17,922
Venezuelan people to lead , which is 

1276
00:49:17,922 --> 00:49:20,033
our new approach to Venezuela's , and 

1277
00:49:20,033 --> 00:49:22,089
they are pushing stabilization . And 

1278
00:49:22,089 --> 00:49:24,200
the final point is about working with 

1279
00:49:24,200 --> 00:49:26,311
our European partners in particular , 

1280
00:49:26,311 --> 00:49:28,311
now again to better coordinate . We 

1281
00:49:28,311 --> 00:49:30,367
work very closely my bureau with our 

1282
00:49:30,367 --> 00:49:32,430
counterparts in eight or seven other 

1283
00:49:32,440 --> 00:49:35,150
countries that have stabilization 

1284
00:49:35,150 --> 00:49:37,039
priorities . Australia , Canada , 

1285
00:49:37,039 --> 00:49:38,872
Denmark , France , Germany , the 

1286
00:49:38,872 --> 00:49:41,050
Netherlands in United Kingdom and all 

1287
00:49:41,050 --> 00:49:43,161
of this community group which we call 

1288
00:49:43,161 --> 00:49:45,161
the Stabilization leaders form , is 

1289
00:49:45,161 --> 00:49:47,439
committed to international cooperation . 

1290
00:49:47,439 --> 00:49:49,520
We have linked these stabilization 

1291
00:49:49,520 --> 00:49:52,390
units to the interim government so that 

1292
00:49:52,390 --> 00:49:54,760
they could absolutely coordinate not 

1293
00:49:54,760 --> 00:49:56,982
only security sector assistance but who 

1294
00:49:56,982 --> 00:49:59,093
is doing what so that we can fill the 

1295
00:49:59,093 --> 00:50:01,400
gaps we continue to work with and 

1296
00:50:01,400 --> 00:50:03,690
encourage and enforce burden sharing 

1297
00:50:04,060 --> 00:50:06,171
Aziz . We approach the transition for 

1298
00:50:06,171 --> 00:50:08,430
Venezuela because this is critical , as 

1299
00:50:08,430 --> 00:50:10,652
my my colleagues indicated . So this is 

1300
00:50:10,652 --> 00:50:12,374
the approach , our approach to 

1301
00:50:12,374 --> 00:50:14,486
stabilization , learning from some of 

1302
00:50:14,486 --> 00:50:16,652
the positive and negative lessons from 

1303
00:50:16,652 --> 00:50:18,986
the past . Thanks . Thank you very much . 

1304
00:50:18,986 --> 00:50:21,097
Is Ethan secretary back to you and me 

1305
00:50:21,097 --> 00:50:22,930
and find her South comes and has 

1306
00:50:22,930 --> 00:50:24,874
counternarcotics operations in the 

1307
00:50:24,874 --> 00:50:26,819
Caribbean . Has the support off 22 

1308
00:50:26,819 --> 00:50:29,330
nations . Why is it increasingly 

1309
00:50:29,330 --> 00:50:31,640
important toe corner with allies to 

1310
00:50:31,640 --> 00:50:33,810
combat narcotrafficking originating 

1311
00:50:33,810 --> 00:50:36,030
from the Maduro regime on irregular 

1312
00:50:36,030 --> 00:50:38,750
armed groups while quarantine security 

1313
00:50:38,760 --> 00:50:42,060
in the hemisphere ? I can't stress 

1314
00:50:42,060 --> 00:50:44,116
enough the urgency of the threat . I 

1315
00:50:44,116 --> 00:50:46,330
think every speaker here today is has 

1316
00:50:46,340 --> 00:50:49,760
pressed that this threat toe democracy , 

1317
00:50:49,760 --> 00:50:52,650
the threat , Teoh economic stability . 

1318
00:50:52,650 --> 00:50:55,320
Add cove it and I think we'll see . 2nd 

1319
00:50:55,320 --> 00:50:57,710
3rd were impacts that have be deeply 

1320
00:50:57,710 --> 00:51:00,280
troubled in terms of undermining 

1321
00:51:00,280 --> 00:51:02,580
stability of other nation states . And 

1322
00:51:02,580 --> 00:51:05,510
so the driver of that threat has 

1323
00:51:05,810 --> 00:51:08,450
coalesced . Ah , people don't work 

1324
00:51:08,450 --> 00:51:11,350
together against it . The 22 nations is 

1325
00:51:11,350 --> 00:51:14,370
one example you cite . I think as we 

1326
00:51:14,370 --> 00:51:16,650
look at this , we look at important 

1327
00:51:16,650 --> 00:51:18,817
investments that we made as a nation . 

1328
00:51:19,160 --> 00:51:22,570
Um , in the past , US Columbia action 

1329
00:51:22,570 --> 00:51:25,550
plan is still moving forward , where 

1330
00:51:25,550 --> 00:51:28,130
Colombians air training partners across 

1331
00:51:28,130 --> 00:51:31,890
Central America to conduct operations 

1332
00:51:31,890 --> 00:51:33,557
against narco trafficking and 

1333
00:51:33,557 --> 00:51:36,550
terrorists . It's extremely beneficial . 

1334
00:51:36,920 --> 00:51:39,240
We look at the Central America Security 

1335
00:51:39,240 --> 00:51:41,351
initiative , the Caribbean security , 

1336
00:51:41,351 --> 00:51:43,073
an issue , these air important 

1337
00:51:43,073 --> 00:51:45,550
investments , where the United States 

1338
00:51:45,800 --> 00:51:49,010
time and financial races sources will 

1339
00:51:49,010 --> 00:51:52,090
put pay forward for enhanced ability . 

1340
00:51:52,100 --> 00:51:54,267
And that's part of the solution , said 

1341
00:51:54,267 --> 00:51:56,489
here is making sure we have it right in 

1342
00:51:56,489 --> 00:51:58,711
those state . Those those investigators 

1343
00:51:58,711 --> 00:52:00,767
to keep of the democracies that have 

1344
00:52:00,767 --> 00:52:02,822
made progress in Central America and 

1345
00:52:02,822 --> 00:52:04,878
South America and the Caribbean keep 

1346
00:52:04,878 --> 00:52:06,711
them moving forward against this 

1347
00:52:06,711 --> 00:52:08,544
vicious circle of threats . This 

1348
00:52:08,544 --> 00:52:10,044
network that Doug so aptly 

1349
00:52:10,070 --> 00:52:12,940
characterized . Thank you , Admiral . 

1350
00:52:12,940 --> 00:52:15,051
And thank you , everyone . Now I will 

1351
00:52:15,051 --> 00:52:17,162
turn the mike over to Jason will take 

1352
00:52:17,162 --> 00:52:19,273
questions from the audience . Back to 

1353
00:52:19,273 --> 00:52:22,440
you , Jason . Hey , thank you very much . 

1354
00:52:22,440 --> 00:52:24,662
Thank you very much , Diego . Thank you 

1355
00:52:24,662 --> 00:52:26,884
for the panel . I have 2 to 3 questions 

1356
00:52:26,884 --> 00:52:30,350
put together . First question from 

1357
00:52:30,510 --> 00:52:33,160
Diana . Negroponte asked the panel to 

1358
00:52:33,160 --> 00:52:34,993
be a little more specific on how 

1359
00:52:34,993 --> 00:52:37,480
Colombia could counter the Maduro 

1360
00:52:37,480 --> 00:52:39,536
regime , and I want to tie that to a 

1361
00:52:39,536 --> 00:52:41,647
question from Christina Borelli , who 

1362
00:52:41,647 --> 00:52:43,536
has specifically How does the Pam 

1363
00:52:43,536 --> 00:52:45,480
propose to crack down on the was a 

1364
00:52:45,480 --> 00:52:47,647
traffic of gold from Venezuela through 

1365
00:52:47,647 --> 00:52:49,424
Colombia in other countries , a 

1366
00:52:49,424 --> 00:52:51,610
question on Columbia from Diana and 

1367
00:52:51,610 --> 00:52:53,666
Christina , and then a question from 

1368
00:52:53,666 --> 00:52:55,730
Ambassador Anne Patterson , who asks 

1369
00:52:55,730 --> 00:52:57,619
more specifically about Russian , 

1370
00:52:57,619 --> 00:52:59,786
Russia and Venezuela and mentions that 

1371
00:52:59,786 --> 00:53:01,730
this is potentially a very serious 

1372
00:53:01,730 --> 00:53:03,897
issue to issue for the United States . 

1373
00:53:03,897 --> 00:53:06,008
No , she doesn't the roster pull back 

1374
00:53:06,008 --> 00:53:08,570
and ask , What is the current extent of 

1375
00:53:08,570 --> 00:53:11,780
Russian presence and influence ? Emma 

1376
00:53:11,780 --> 00:53:13,680
fell . I'll turn to you first for 

1377
00:53:13,680 --> 00:53:15,791
addressing either one or both . Those 

1378
00:53:15,791 --> 00:53:18,310
questions take the Russian because they 

1379
00:53:18,310 --> 00:53:20,310
get straight to the heart of this . 

1380
00:53:20,310 --> 00:53:22,310
What's the center of gravity ? What 

1381
00:53:22,310 --> 00:53:24,760
keeps Maduro in power and and the 

1382
00:53:24,760 --> 00:53:27,093
Russian influences front center in that , 

1383
00:53:27,093 --> 00:53:29,316
whether it's in cyber , whether it's in 

1384
00:53:29,316 --> 00:53:31,204
upgrading their defense systems , 

1385
00:53:31,204 --> 00:53:33,093
whether it's in helping and evade 

1386
00:53:33,093 --> 00:53:36,440
sanctions oil uh , the list goes on . 

1387
00:53:36,440 --> 00:53:38,329
Whether helps whether it's in the 

1388
00:53:38,329 --> 00:53:39,884
information space spreading 

1389
00:53:39,884 --> 00:53:42,440
disinformation , lies about the extent 

1390
00:53:42,440 --> 00:53:44,496
of their complicity and keep them in 

1391
00:53:44,496 --> 00:53:46,607
their own power , the extent to which 

1392
00:53:46,607 --> 00:53:49,000
Maduro has wrecked the country . And so 

1393
00:53:49,000 --> 00:53:51,610
I watched with alarm what Russia is 

1394
00:53:51,610 --> 00:53:54,140
doing globally in particularly in 

1395
00:53:54,150 --> 00:53:57,610
Venezuela , in terms of the numbers of 

1396
00:53:57,620 --> 00:54:00,820
personnel of the back and forth , the 

1397
00:54:00,820 --> 00:54:04,020
rotations of those personnel special 

1398
00:54:04,020 --> 00:54:06,020
there , special operations force or 

1399
00:54:06,020 --> 00:54:08,670
technicians . And so , uh , if I am 

1400
00:54:08,680 --> 00:54:10,902
completely aligned with Master Paterson 

1401
00:54:10,902 --> 00:54:13,820
on on how we view that , I think in the 

1402
00:54:13,820 --> 00:54:16,042
interest of time , I'll kick it back to 

1403
00:54:16,042 --> 00:54:18,153
you . Jason , you can look at some of 

1404
00:54:18,153 --> 00:54:20,431
the other Panelists coming . Thank you , 

1405
00:54:20,431 --> 00:54:22,542
Admiral . Secretary Kelly , Thank you 

1406
00:54:22,542 --> 00:54:24,542
so much . I just want addressed the 

1407
00:54:24,542 --> 00:54:26,653
issue on Columbia when I talked about 

1408
00:54:26,653 --> 00:54:26,410
the role of non state armed groups . 

1409
00:54:26,410 --> 00:54:28,560
One of the key players in here is 

1410
00:54:28,560 --> 00:54:30,782
Colombia . Because thes non state armed 

1411
00:54:30,782 --> 00:54:33,116
groups are not just lodged in Venezuela , 

1412
00:54:33,116 --> 00:54:35,338
they're moving back and forth . PLN and 

1413
00:54:35,338 --> 00:54:37,240
FARC is , you know , coming from 

1414
00:54:37,250 --> 00:54:39,417
Colombia's well . We were very closely 

1415
00:54:39,417 --> 00:54:41,361
with our Colombian partners in the 

1416
00:54:41,361 --> 00:54:43,583
government . They have been very strong 

1417
00:54:43,583 --> 00:54:45,960
allies in this issue on the dressing , 

1418
00:54:45,960 --> 00:54:48,182
the non state armed groups . One of the 

1419
00:54:48,182 --> 00:54:50,071
ways that we're doing this in our 

1420
00:54:50,071 --> 00:54:52,238
programs is to enhance the role of the 

1421
00:54:52,238 --> 00:54:54,127
state in some of the rule areas . 

1422
00:54:54,127 --> 00:54:55,793
Whether that is through narco 

1423
00:54:55,793 --> 00:54:57,627
trafficking , whether that's the 

1424
00:54:57,627 --> 00:54:59,293
security sector for us , it's 

1425
00:54:59,293 --> 00:55:01,516
implementing the peace accord as well , 

1426
00:55:01,516 --> 00:55:03,460
okay . And getting the role of the 

1427
00:55:03,460 --> 00:55:05,571
state , strengthening that in some of 

1428
00:55:05,571 --> 00:55:07,516
the rural areas to address some of 

1429
00:55:07,516 --> 00:55:09,571
these non state armed groups . So we 

1430
00:55:09,571 --> 00:55:11,404
recognize fully that Colombia is 

1431
00:55:11,404 --> 00:55:14,610
critical , uh , to this effort . Thank 

1432
00:55:14,610 --> 00:55:16,666
you , Justice Debbie , since Hickory 

1433
00:55:16,666 --> 00:55:20,600
Hill . Petty . Sure . So eso to Diana 

1434
00:55:20,600 --> 00:55:22,950
and Christina's question on Columbia . 

1435
00:55:22,950 --> 00:55:24,894
You know , I think one of the most 

1436
00:55:24,894 --> 00:55:26,728
important things that we've been 

1437
00:55:26,728 --> 00:55:28,617
working on when it comes to these 

1438
00:55:28,617 --> 00:55:30,617
elicit foot networks , whether it's 

1439
00:55:30,617 --> 00:55:32,672
with respect to gold or whether it's 

1440
00:55:32,672 --> 00:55:34,561
respect Teoh narco trafficking is 

1441
00:55:34,561 --> 00:55:36,783
really ensuring the coordination within 

1442
00:55:36,783 --> 00:55:39,050
the US government . Um , that is sort 

1443
00:55:39,050 --> 00:55:41,161
of first and foremost because we have 

1444
00:55:41,161 --> 00:55:43,383
so many difference experts in different 

1445
00:55:43,383 --> 00:55:45,610
fields within the U . S . System that 

1446
00:55:45,610 --> 00:55:47,777
it's really important that all of them 

1447
00:55:47,777 --> 00:55:49,832
the sort of cohesive and approaching 

1448
00:55:49,832 --> 00:55:51,777
this and holistic way . So when it 

1449
00:55:51,777 --> 00:55:54,580
comes to gold , we have established an 

1450
00:55:54,590 --> 00:55:57,220
inter agency gold working group . And 

1451
00:55:57,220 --> 00:55:59,331
the purpose of this is to have all of 

1452
00:55:59,331 --> 00:56:01,580
the experts , whether it's from the 

1453
00:56:01,580 --> 00:56:03,636
regional bureaus , whether it's from 

1454
00:56:03,640 --> 00:56:05,862
narcotics and law enforcement , whether 

1455
00:56:05,862 --> 00:56:07,751
it's the law enforcement agencies 

1456
00:56:07,751 --> 00:56:10,250
within DOJ , whether it's South common 

1457
00:56:10,250 --> 00:56:12,580
and D o d . All of them for knitting 

1458
00:56:12,590 --> 00:56:14,423
together to make sure that we're 

1459
00:56:14,423 --> 00:56:16,646
identifying the various mechanisms that 

1460
00:56:16,646 --> 00:56:18,812
we can deploy in order to confront the 

1461
00:56:18,812 --> 00:56:21,070
illicit gold trafficking . The other 

1462
00:56:21,070 --> 00:56:23,126
thing that's critically important is 

1463
00:56:23,126 --> 00:56:25,348
for us to make sure that we are working 

1464
00:56:25,348 --> 00:56:27,760
with our partners on border security 

1465
00:56:27,770 --> 00:56:29,881
issues . This is something that we've 

1466
00:56:29,881 --> 00:56:31,881
been working with them on for for a 

1467
00:56:31,881 --> 00:56:34,103
while now , especially in light of also 

1468
00:56:34,140 --> 00:56:37,390
the huge refugee crisis in the region . 

1469
00:56:37,430 --> 00:56:39,610
It's the largest refugee crisis that 

1470
00:56:39,930 --> 00:56:41,708
the Western Hemisphere has ever 

1471
00:56:41,708 --> 00:56:43,819
experienced , and so making sure that 

1472
00:56:43,819 --> 00:56:45,597
we are really addressing border 

1473
00:56:45,597 --> 00:56:47,597
security is hyper important because 

1474
00:56:47,597 --> 00:56:49,763
what happens is the gold will make its 

1475
00:56:49,763 --> 00:56:51,930
way to Brazil or Colombia and then get 

1476
00:56:51,930 --> 00:56:53,763
exported as if it's Brazilian or 

1477
00:56:53,763 --> 00:56:55,930
Colombian gold . So preventing it from 

1478
00:56:55,930 --> 00:56:58,041
making it there in the first place is 

1479
00:56:58,041 --> 00:57:00,263
going to be really , really important . 

1480
00:57:00,263 --> 00:57:02,263
So I would say that something major 

1481
00:57:02,263 --> 00:57:04,374
that we can do on the border Teoh try 

1482
00:57:04,374 --> 00:57:06,430
to prevent that . In addition to the 

1483
00:57:06,430 --> 00:57:08,652
sort of broader discussions that we had 

1484
00:57:08,652 --> 00:57:10,874
about , make sure that they're not able 

1485
00:57:10,874 --> 00:57:13,097
to mind a gold illegally first looks by 

1486
00:57:13,097 --> 00:57:14,874
not having the equipment and to 

1487
00:57:14,874 --> 00:57:16,819
Ambassador Patterson's question on 

1488
00:57:16,819 --> 00:57:19,360
Russia . Um , you know Russia's role 

1489
00:57:19,360 --> 00:57:22,680
has changed a bit . Certainly Russia 

1490
00:57:22,680 --> 00:57:24,950
provides probably the largest amount of 

1491
00:57:24,960 --> 00:57:27,580
international support to Venezuela in 

1492
00:57:27,580 --> 00:57:29,880
terms of its role on Security Council 

1493
00:57:30,070 --> 00:57:32,130
on DSO on and so forth . But we have 

1494
00:57:32,130 --> 00:57:34,980
seen the financial relationship decline 

1495
00:57:34,980 --> 00:57:36,647
a little bit . I think . What 

1496
00:57:36,647 --> 00:57:38,758
Ambassador follow mentioned about the 

1497
00:57:38,758 --> 00:57:40,869
disinformation ? This is a key tactic 

1498
00:57:40,869 --> 00:57:42,980
that both the Cubans and the Russians 

1499
00:57:42,980 --> 00:57:45,202
used . That's something we need to be , 

1500
00:57:45,202 --> 00:57:47,424
especially on the lookout for , because 

1501
00:57:47,424 --> 00:57:49,480
that kind of propaganda can be can , 

1502
00:57:49,480 --> 00:57:51,591
unfortunately be quite effective . So 

1503
00:57:51,591 --> 00:57:53,591
we need to always be on our toes to 

1504
00:57:53,591 --> 00:57:52,810
figure out where the sources of 

1505
00:57:52,810 --> 00:57:55,032
information is coming from to make sure 

1506
00:57:55,032 --> 00:57:56,754
that it's it's not intentional 

1507
00:57:56,754 --> 00:57:58,643
misinformation from , I think the 

1508
00:57:58,643 --> 00:58:00,699
Russians of the Cubans . Fantastic . 

1509
00:58:00,699 --> 00:58:02,810
Thank you , Doug . I'll give you were 

1510
00:58:02,810 --> 00:58:02,680
just almost out of time . I give you 

1511
00:58:02,680 --> 00:58:05,013
the opportunity to address that as well . 

1512
00:58:05,450 --> 00:58:07,510
Just two quick points . I think what 

1513
00:58:07,520 --> 00:58:09,687
the assistant secretary Philip any set 

1514
00:58:09,687 --> 00:58:11,853
on gold is incredibly important and we 

1515
00:58:11,853 --> 00:58:13,964
see what we don't look at . Very well 

1516
00:58:13,964 --> 00:58:16,187
is the really off the radar places like 

1517
00:58:16,187 --> 00:58:18,464
ST On , which is the main exporter now , 

1518
00:58:18,464 --> 00:58:20,687
Venezuelan and far gold Nicaragua their 

1519
00:58:20,687 --> 00:58:22,909
ability to move across traditional uh , 

1520
00:58:22,909 --> 00:58:25,780
has off off our radar screen to get 

1521
00:58:25,790 --> 00:58:27,901
stuff to Mark , I think , is a really 

1522
00:58:27,901 --> 00:58:30,123
key part in creating understanding that 

1523
00:58:30,123 --> 00:58:32,179
blood gold is blood gold . It brings 

1524
00:58:32,179 --> 00:58:34,346
prostitution , child labor , slavery , 

1525
00:58:34,346 --> 00:58:36,512
all environmental degradation , all of 

1526
00:58:36,512 --> 00:58:38,679
those things together . And secondly , 

1527
00:58:38,679 --> 00:58:38,630
just briefly on Russia , I would say 

1528
00:58:38,630 --> 00:58:40,797
that it's one of the things we have to 

1529
00:58:40,797 --> 00:58:43,019
expand and look at what Russia is doing 

1530
00:58:43,019 --> 00:58:45,241
in Venezuela out of Venezuela . Most of 

1531
00:58:45,241 --> 00:58:47,074
the propaganda and this stuff is 

1532
00:58:47,074 --> 00:58:49,241
happening during the unrest at the end 

1533
00:58:49,241 --> 00:58:51,352
of 2019 by the Russians , came out of 

1534
00:58:51,352 --> 00:58:53,408
Nicaragua . Cuba . Um , that's where 

1535
00:58:53,408 --> 00:58:55,408
they are operating out of when they 

1536
00:58:55,408 --> 00:58:57,630
can't be directly in there . So again , 

1537
00:58:57,630 --> 00:58:57,460
they have a much broader network that 

1538
00:58:57,460 --> 00:58:59,627
very strong presence . The Russians in 

1539
00:58:59,627 --> 00:59:01,682
Chile , in Argentina , where they're 

1540
00:59:01,682 --> 00:59:03,793
running front groups that produce all 

1541
00:59:03,793 --> 00:59:05,849
kinds of Internet content and things 

1542
00:59:05,849 --> 00:59:05,800
that were very little aware of and 

1543
00:59:05,800 --> 00:59:08,078
things that give them platforms . Well , 

1544
00:59:08,078 --> 00:59:10,133
we don't . When we look at Venezuela 

1545
00:59:10,133 --> 00:59:12,244
only is Venezuela and not his broader 

1546
00:59:12,244 --> 00:59:14,244
network . Thank you . Great . Think 

1547
00:59:14,244 --> 00:59:16,411
thanks to a connection there was there 

1548
00:59:16,411 --> 00:59:15,630
was a question We did get a chance to 

1549
00:59:15,630 --> 00:59:17,797
get to , which was specifically asking 

1550
00:59:17,797 --> 00:59:20,019
about Russia in Nicaragua and Q and A . 

1551
00:59:20,130 --> 00:59:22,186
But I guess we'll leave that for the 

1552
00:59:22,186 --> 00:59:24,352
next next conversation . I want to end 

1553
00:59:24,352 --> 00:59:26,463
by thanking all of you for joining us 

1554
00:59:26,463 --> 00:59:28,870
today , Admiral . Follower is always 

1555
00:59:28,880 --> 00:59:31,280
fantastic . TCU thank you very much for 

1556
00:59:31,280 --> 00:59:33,460
your time and your service . Uh , 

1557
00:59:33,470 --> 00:59:35,414
assistant secretary ? No , totally 

1558
00:59:35,414 --> 00:59:37,470
great to have you . Deputy Assistant 

1559
00:59:37,470 --> 00:59:39,637
Secretary Philip Eddie . Doug Farrah , 

1560
00:59:39,637 --> 00:59:41,692
Thank you all for joining us today , 

1561
00:59:41,692 --> 00:59:41,540
which we could all be together in the 

1562
00:59:41,540 --> 00:59:43,762
same room . But at least being together 

1563
00:59:43,762 --> 00:59:46,240
the virtual room is ah is a step in the 

1564
00:59:46,250 --> 00:59:48,361
right direction and also reminded the 

1565
00:59:48,361 --> 00:59:50,083
days conversation is really an 

1566
00:59:50,083 --> 00:59:52,250
important reminder of the persistently 

1567
00:59:52,250 --> 00:59:54,361
for coordinated action , uh , against 

1568
00:59:54,361 --> 00:59:56,300
the Maduro regime as support for 

1569
00:59:56,300 --> 00:59:59,220
democracy in Venezuela before we end of . 

1570
00:59:59,220 --> 01:00:01,331
That's the way to invite the audience 

1571
01:00:01,331 --> 01:00:03,331
to read the policy brief , that dog 

1572
01:00:03,331 --> 01:00:05,553
author that we released this morning it 

1573
01:00:05,553 --> 01:00:07,553
on the Atlantic Council website and 

1574
01:00:07,553 --> 01:00:09,609
also share again . This is part of a 

1575
01:00:09,609 --> 01:00:11,776
series of programming on Venezuela and 

1576
01:00:11,776 --> 01:00:13,442
Venezuela's elicit activity . 

1577
01:00:13,442 --> 01:00:15,498
Specifically , of course , the agent 

1578
01:00:15,498 --> 01:00:17,498
are slight . America Center has had 

1579
01:00:17,498 --> 01:00:19,720
extensive Venezuela programming for the 

1580
01:00:19,720 --> 01:00:19,520
last few years but a new Siri's now on 

1581
01:00:19,520 --> 01:00:22,010
Venice . Those elicit activities and 

1582
01:00:22,010 --> 01:00:24,066
with our next panel publication will 

1583
01:00:24,066 --> 01:00:26,610
look specifically a to the issue of 

1584
01:00:26,610 --> 01:00:29,890
Iran and Hezbollah . Eso with that 

1585
01:00:29,900 --> 01:00:32,011
again . Thank you . I want to think , 

1586
01:00:32,011 --> 01:00:34,011
uh , Domingo , our star duty and my 

1587
01:00:34,011 --> 01:00:36,289
team who put this whole event together . 

1588
01:00:36,289 --> 01:00:38,344
Diego , thank you for monitoring the 

1589
01:00:38,344 --> 01:00:40,567
panel on Adrian wonderfully . You could 

1590
01:00:40,567 --> 01:00:42,400
join us today with that . I hope 

1591
01:00:42,400 --> 01:00:44,511
everyone has a great rest the day and 

1592
01:00:44,511 --> 01:00:45,030
thank you very much for joining us You