Venezuela's elite involve in drug trafficking - kingpin

BOGOTA, (AP):

The reputed Venezuelan drug kingpin whom Colombia has decided to extradite back home rather than to the United States (US) says in a TV interview that he has videos proving Venezuela's ruling elite is deeply involved in cocaine trafficking.

But Walid Makled said in the interview broadcast Sunday night that he would disclose only to US prosecutors the videos and other "conclusive evidence" of drug corruption in the inner circle of Venezuela's leftist president, Hugo Chavez.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, seeking to improve what had been rocky relations with Chavez, announced in November that he would extradite Makled to Venezuela. Chavez asked first and Makled faces more serious charges, including murder, in Venezuela, Santos said.

Colombia's Supreme Court approved the extradition on March 25.

Several key US lawmakers have expressed concern that Makled will be silenced once back in Venezuela, and the opportunity lost to expose monumental corruption in that country's ruling circles. International law enforcement officials say that, under Chavez, Venezuela has become a major trans-shipment country for Colombian cocaine.