Ex-high ranking Venezuelan official reveals alleged Chavez link to drug-trafficking

By MARIANA ATENCIO

Eladio Aponte Aponte, a former Supreme Court justice in Venezuela, fled his country through Costa Rica and is now talking to the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) about possible connections between President Chavez, his tight-knit circle, and drug trafficking.

In an interview granted to the Miami-based television station Soitv, Aponte admits to having covered up at least one case of drug trafficking in 2005, after being directly pressured by President Chavez.

But the question on everyone’s mind is: could the revelations of this ex-magistrate be enough to prosecute President Chavez in a US Federal Court?

Univision News spoke to former assistant U.S. Attorney Myles Malman, who successfully prosecuted Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega, to find out.