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The Colombian air bridge through Venezuela

What John Kiriakou says his own Senate Foreign Relations Committee investigation found about drug trafficking through Venezuela — that it exists, that it consists of Colombian aircraft landing there en route to Africa, and that there is no evidence Nicolás Maduro controls it or knows when and where it happens.

The Colombian air bridge through Venezuela is what John Kiriakou says he found when he examined the question on behalf of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he served as senior investigator — a finding he raised in October 2025 against the American government’s account of the boat strikes in the Caribbean.

“The US has long accused Maduro of drug trafficking,” he says. “I did an investigation when I was the senior investigator on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and part of that investigation was drug trafficking through Venezuela.”[1]

His first finding concedes the premise in part: “there is some drug trafficking through Venezuela.” His second removes what the accusation depends on: “that is not to say that Maduro controls it or even has any idea when and where it’s happening.”[1]

What he found instead was a transit route belonging to someone else. “What it is, is Colombian drug planes landing in Venezuela to, you know, pick up, to drop off, unload, who knows, and then continuing on to Africa.”[1][2]

His conclusion is about the certainty being claimed rather than about the trade: “it’s not clear-cut like the administration wants you to think it is.”[2]

See also

References

  1. DeProgram Show with Ted Rall and Jamarl Thomas, 2025-11-0128:04 on YouTube · Transcript
  2. DeProgram Show with Ted Rall and Jamarl Thomas, 2025-11-0128:34 on YouTube · Transcript

Sourced from John Kiriakou's on-record public statements. See his profile for the full body of his interviews, podcast appearances, and short-form video.