Why is the U.S. targeting Maduro?

The Trump administration has accused the Venezuelan president of waging war on the U.S. through “narco-terrorism.” Many experts dispute whether that label is appropriate, but what is clear is that Maduro, 62, is a foe of U.S. influence in Latin America and a strongman who has pushed Venezuela deeper into dictatorship and economic decline. A stolid former Caracas bus driver, Maduro claims to be continuing the socialist mission of his predecessor Hugo Chávez. But, lacking Chávez’s charisma, he has resorted to rigging the last two presidential elections and using security forces to persecute, torture, and, in some cases, kill opponents. The U.S. is offering $50 million for information that will lead to Maduro’s arrest—the biggest reward of its kind—and has

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