Under pressure from Trump, Venezuela’s fresh president has cards hidden up her sleeve

“Trump has suggested that Venezuela is effectively a protectorate of the US, meaning she operates at the discretion of the US president,” states Christopher Sabatini, a senior research fellow focusing on Latin America at Chatham House think tank. “Additionally, she has been looked into by the DEA – while there’s no conviction or bounty on her, or formal charges, the looming threat remains. The implication is, ‘we have incriminating evidence against you’.” The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) did not provide a comment when contacted by the BBC.