A U.S. drug enforcement agent portrayed the Venezuelan government as protective of or complicit in the drug trade during testimony Thursday, saying two nephews of Venezuela's powerful first lady who are awaiting trial on drug charges even bragged that they could use the presidential ramp at a major airport for drug-laden planes. Gonzalez said the United States did not alert government authorities in Venezuela about the drug probe, knowing Venezuelan authorities had targeted DEA informants in the past. He said U.S. investigators conducting other drug probes related to Venezuela had heard that the nephews of Venezuela's president "were actively involved in drug dealing." An effort to capture them proceeded last fall after an important tip came from a major drug trafficking informant, Gonzalez said. The agent said the informant "indicated that these individuals wanted to fly drug-laden planes to Honduras with flight plans."

Source: ABC News September 08, 2016 21:37 UTC