Rubio warns of growing Iranian influence in Venezuela, drone threats in hemisphere
MIAMI - Florida Senator Marco Rubio raised alarms over increasing Iranian influence in Venezuela during his Senate confirmation hearings on Wednesday.
The senator, widely expected to become the next Secretary of State, painted a grim picture.
"Venezuela, sadly, is not governed by a government. It's governed by a narco-trafficking organization that has empowered itself as a nation-state."
"We've seen upwards of seven to nine million Venezuelans flee the country, with more expected to leave. In Venezuela, you have the Russian presence, you have a very strong Iranian presence."
"The Iranians, in fact, are beginning to build drone factories for the manufacture of Iranian drones in our own hemisphere."
Rubio also pointed to Venezuela's history of issuing illegitimate passports to Hezbollah operatives.
Hezbollah is an Iran-backed militia that the U.S. has designated a foreign terrorist organization.
Rubio criticized policies allowing US companies to operate in Venezuela, arguing that billions of dollars funneled into the regime have bolstered its power while promised reforms remain unfulfilled.
"Companies like Chevron are now providing billions of dollars into the regime's coffers and the regime kept none of the promises they made," he said. "All that needs to be re-explored."
Rubio's remarks coincide with the U.S. Department of State's announcement on Friday that it has raised the reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest or conviction from $15 million to $25 million.
Maduro, 62, has been under U.S. indictment since 2020 for alleged drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.