Venezuelan Vice President Slams DEA Chief Over Claims About Being a 'Narco-Terrorist State': 'The Real Cartel Is Up North'

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez slammed DEA Chief Terry Cole over his claim that the Venezuelan regime is collaborating with Colombian guerrilla groups to ship "record amounts of cocaine" to Mexican cartels that later traffic it into the U.S.

Rodriguez said in a statement that Cole is aware of her claim and that there are "innumerable documents and evidence" supporting it. She added that the DEA's own "National Drug Threat Assessment" from 2024 and 2025 doesn't mention Venezuela as a relevant factor when it comes to drug-trafficking to the U.S.

She went on to say that allegations from the Trump administration actually intends to "take the country's immense energy riches and undermine" the authoritarian government. "The entire planet knows the actual cartel is up north," Rodriguez added, warning that Venezuela "will know how to defend its territorial integrity, sovereignty and historical dignity."

Rodriguez's statement comes after an interview in which Cole claimed that Venezuela "has become a narco-terrorist state that continues to work with the FARC and the ELN of Colombia to send record amounts of cocaine from Venezuela to the Mexican cartels, which continue entering the United States."

Cole added that despite efforts by the Trump administration to dismantle trafficking networks, U.S. authorities have already seized more cocaine in 2025 than in previous years, warning of rising amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl.

He also repeated claims made repeatedly by President Trump that the notorious Tren de Aragua gang, which was deemed an Foreign Terrorist Organziation by the administration earlier this year, is affiliated to the Maduro regime:

The accusations come amid the deployment of three U.S. Aegis guided-missile destroyers with 4,000 troops to Caribbean waters near Venezuela, part of Trump's push to use the military against cartels. A U.S. official confirmed to CBS News on Thursday that the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson will operate in the region for several months in support of counter-narcotics efforts.

In response to the U.S. activity, Maduro announced on Monday the mobilization of more than 4.5 million militia members, citing threats from Washington. "The empire has gone mad and has renewed its threats to Venezuela's peace and tranquility," he said at an event.