The RQ-170 Sentinel drone, also known as the ‘Beast of Kandahar’, reportedly played a part in Operation Absolute Resolve, the American mission that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro. This was reported by several military and international newspapers. Among these, the Australian ABC News published a verified video shared by an Osint (Open Source Intelligence) tracker showing an RQ-170 returning to Puerto Rico after supporting the mission. The RQ-170 Sentinel drone is a remotely piloted aircraft produced by Lockheed Martin.
Maduro and his refusal to go into exile in Türkiye
The “Absolute Resolve” operation that led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro was launched after the Venezuelan president had rejected a previous US proposal that would see him exiled to Turkey. Well-informed sources reported this to the New York Times. Washington’s offer arrived at the end of December and envisaged Maduro leaving Venezuela in exchange for concessions to Caracas’ oil industry. When the Chavista leader refused, the White House then began the blitz.
“The US could have a superwitness against Maduro”
The US could have a superwitness in the trial against Nicolas Maduro. According to Newsweek, he is Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, former head of Venezuelan military intelligence, ousted by Maduro for treason and then arrested by the USA for a trial in which last June he pleaded guilty to crimes involving prison sentences and similar to those charged against the Venezuelan leader. He is named in the indictment and has not yet been convicted, a sign that prosecutors may want to have him testify against Maduro before deciding his fate. Elie Honig, a former assistant US attorney, told CNN that postponing a co-conspirator’s sentencing after a plea deal is usually a sign that testimony is being prepared. Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega was also convicted of drug trafficking after being captured by U.S. forces in 1990, thanks to the testimony of several witnesses who had negotiated deals. Nicolás Maduro, the former Venezuelan dictator, could appear in federal court in New York as early as Monday on charges of narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and other serious crimes. According to Newsweek, the legal case linking Maduro to drug trafficking is much stronger than public perception suggests. The replacement indictment released this weekend goes far further than the original 2020 indictment in outlining the case against the former leader, providing details about the scope of drug shipments, transportation methods, links to broader cartels and Maduro’s abuse of his diplomatic network as foreign minister to facilitate the flow of drugs and money. And importantly, a key co-conspirator named in the 2020 indictment has pleaded guilty to charges very similar to those now weighing on Maduro and is awaiting sentencing: Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios.