Dear Reader,
For years, the power of the Chavista regime in Venezuela was guaranteed thanks to organized crime.
Illicit revenues — obtained from cocaine trafficking and illegal gold, among other crimes — flowed through opaque networks made up of officials, military personnel, and allies of Chavismo, known as the Cartel of the Suns.
Today, with Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores imprisoned in the United States and a new president in Caracas under Washington’s watchful eye, a key question emerges:
What remains of Venezuela’s criminal system after Maduro’s departure?
In this donor-exclusive virtual event, InSight Crime experts will analyze:
The reality behind the concept of the Cartel of the Suns and what has changed since January
What the decisions of the new government reveal about the future of organized crime in Venezuela
The current role of key actors still in power
The continuity of criminal economies such as drug trafficking and illegal mining
The role of armed groups like the ELN along the Colombia–Venezuela border
