On Tuesday June 13^th, Florida Senator Marco Rubio petitioned Attorney General Merrick Garland and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to direct the U.S. National Central Bureau to submit an INTERPOL red alert for Venezuelan President Maduro.

The National Central Bureau is responsible for the United States’ relationship with INTERPOL and as Maduro is traveling among INTERPOL countries, Rubio sees it as an opportunity to hold Maduro accountable for what he called “crimes against the American and Venezuelan people.”

Rubio’s request builds on the U.S. Department of Justice’s March 26, 2020 decision to charge Maduro and 14 of his associates with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, arms dealing, and corruption. Despite this indictment, Maduro continues to rule as dictator over Venezuela, a country in the middle of a humanitarian crisis.

If enacted by the U.S. National Central Bureau, an INTERPOL red notice would request law enforcement worldwide to locate and detain Maduro. Red notices are published by INTERPOL itself at the behest of a member country, and since Maduro is traveling among member countries in the Middle East and Asia, Rubio’s request could prove a significant challenge to Maduro.

By Will Munro, Legal Intern