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'{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}} {{Infobox Politician | honorific-prefix = | name = Tareck El Aissami | honorific-suffix = | image = [[File:Tareck El Aissami Portrait.jpg|200px]] | order = | office = [[Vice President of Venezuela]] | term_start = 4 January 2017 | term_end = | president = [[Nicolás Maduro]] | predecessor = [[Aristóbulo Istúriz]] | successor = | office2 = [[Aragua|Governor of Aragua]] | term_start2 = 2012 | term_end2 = 2017 | predecessor2 = [[Rafael Isea]] | successor2 = | office3 = [[Minister of Interior and Justice (Venezuela)|Minister of Interior and Justice]] | term_start3 = September 2008 | term_end3 = October 2012 | predecessor3 = [[Ramón Rodríguez Chacín]] | successor3 = Néstor Reverol |birth_name=Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|11|12|df=y}} | birth_place = [[El Vigía]], [[Mérida (state)|Mérida]]<ref>{{cite-web|url=http://www.telesurtv.net/news/Perfil-del-nuevo-vicepresidente-de-Venezuela-Tareck-El-Aissami-20170104-0048.html|work=[[TeleSUR|Telesur]]|language=Spanish|title=¿Quién es Tareck El Aissami, el nuevo vicepresidente de Venezuela?|date=4 January 2017|accessdate=5 January 2017}}</ref> | death_date = | death_place = | nationality = [[Venezuela]]n | spouse = | party = [[United Socialist Party of Venezuela|United Socialist Party]] | relations = | children = | residence = | alma_mater = [[University of the Andes, Venezuela|University of the Andes]] | occupation = | profession = politician | religion = [[Druze]]<ref name=ALamama>{{cite news|script-title=الوزير طارق العيسمي نائبا لرئيس جمهورية فنزويلا|trans-title=The minister Tariq Aisami vice-president of the Republic of Venezuela |language=ar |url=http://www.al-amama.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1110 |accessdate=18 January 2015|agency=Al Amama}}</ref> | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah''' ({{lang-ar|طارق زيدان العيسمي مداح}},<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://panet.co.il/article/625221 |newspaper=Panet |trans-title=Syrian with As-Suwayda origins become a state governor in Venezuela |date=17 December 2012 |script-title= سوري الأصل من السويداء يصبح حاكم ولاية بفنزويلا |language=ar |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20170105180124/http://panet.co.il/article/625221 |archive-date=5 January 2017 |deadurl=no |df=dmy}}</ref> born 12 November 1974)<ref name="tareck.psuv.org.ve">{{Cite web|title=Biografía: Tareck El Aissami |language=es |publisher=[[United Socialist Party of Venezuela]] (PSUV) |url=http://tareck.psuv.org.ve/biografia/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20170128015211/http://tareck.psuv.org.ve/biografia/ |archive-date=28 January 2017 |deadurl=no}}</ref> is a [[Venezuela]]n politician who has been [[Vice President of Venezuela]] since January 2017. Previously he was [[List of Ministers of Interior and Justice of Venezuela|Minister of the Interior and Justice]] from 2008 to 2012 and [[Governor of Aragua]] from 2012 to 2017. El Aissami has faced allegations of participating in corruption, [[money laundering]] and [[drug trafficking]], all of which he has denied. ==Early life== El Aissami, one of five children, was born on 12 November 1974 in [[El Vigía]], [[Mérida (state)|Mérida]], Venezuela,<ref name="tareck.psuv.org.ve"/><ref name="IRONFISTED">{{cite news|last1=Rosati|first1=Andrew|last2=Zero|first2=Fabiola|title=Venezuela’s New Iron-Fisted Boss Facing U.S. Trafficking Probe|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-02-06/venezuela-s-new-iron-fisted-boss-facing-u-s-trafficking-probe|accessdate=7 February 2017|work=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]]|date=6 February 2017}}</ref> where he spent his childhood.<ref name=vv>{{cite news|first1=Dahir |last1=Ral |title=Tareck El Aisamí: Los hombres capaces son los que escriben la historia |url=http://archivo.vtv.gob.ve/index.php/entrevista/82474-tareck-el-aisami-los-hombres-capaces-son-los-que-escriben-la-historia- |newspaper=[[Venezolana de Televisión]] |date=24 May 2012 |accessdate=16 October 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014163907/http://archivo.vtv.gob.ve/index.php/entrevista/82474-tareck-el-aisami-los-hombres-capaces-son-los-que-escriben-la-historia- |archivedate=October 14, 2012 }} ([http://www.webcitation.org/6VD5d1TQ1 Archive])</ref> His father, Zaidan El Amin El Aissami, who is also known as Carlos Zaidan, was a [[Druze in Syria|Druze]] immigrant from [[Jabal al-Druze]] in [[Syria]],<ref name="maryanastasia">Mary Anastasia O'Grady, [https://www.wsj.com/articles/mary-anastasia-ogrady-the-iran-cuba-venezuela-nexus-1416780671 "The Iran-Cuba-Venezuela Nexus: The West underestimates the growing threat from radical Islam in the Americas"], ''The Wall Street Journal'', November 23, 2014.</ref> who led a local Iraqi [[Ba'athist]] Party in Venezuela and had connections with leftist political movements in the Middle East, supported [[Hugo Chávez]] during the February [[1992 Venezuelan coup d'état attempts|1992 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt]] and was arrested.<ref name="Newcabinet">{{cite book|last1=[[William Brownfield|Brownfield]]|first1=[[William Brownfield|William]]|title=CHAVEZ'S NEW CABINET: A LOOK AT SOME NEW MINISTERS|date=26 January 2007|publisher=[[Embassy of the United States, Caracas]]|pages=1–4|accessdate=15 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="DLAtareck">{{cite news|title=Tareck El Aissami, el político chavista compañero de Diosdado en el Cartel de los Soles|url=http://www.diariolasamericas.com/tareck-el-aissami-el-politico-chavista-companero-diosdado-el-cartel-los-soles-n2924950|accessdate=8 January 2017|work=[[Diario Las Americas]]|date=29 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="IRONFISTED"/> Another family member of El Aissami's involved in [[Ba'athism]] was his great-uncle, [[Shibli El Aissami]], who was the Assistant Secretary General of the National Command of the [[Ba'ath Party (Iraqi-dominated faction)|Iraqi-dominated Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party]].<ref name="Newcabinet"/><ref name="WARofALL">{{cite book|last1=Perdue|first1=Jon B.|title=The War of All the People: The Nexus of Latin American Radicalism and Middle Eastern Terrorism|date=2012|publisher=[[Potomac Books]]|location=Washington, D.C.|isbn=1597977047|pages=160–162|edition=1st|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TcNy985Q-LQC&pg=PA161&lpg=PA161&dq=El+Aissami+9/11&source=bl&ots=EPRLfCiO4p&sig=vo0JMnxZ66ass9JkvIEyTgpGTxY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjYgYODgZHSAhUHWCwKHSMNB7sQ6AEISjAJ#v=onepage&q=El%20Aissami%209%2F11&f=false|accessdate=15 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="DLAdetails">{{cite news|title=Revelan detalles del polémico perfil de Tareck El Aissami|url=http://www.diariolasamericas.com/america-latina/revelan-detalles-del-polemico-perfil-tareck-el-aissami-n4114684|accessdate=15 February 2017|work=[[Diario Las Américas]]|date=11 February 2017|language=es}}</ref><ref name="SPT2003">{{cite news|last1=Gunson|first1=Phil|last2=Adams|first2=David|title=Venezuela Shifts Control of Border|accessdate=15 February 2017|work=[[St.Petersburg Times]]|date=28 November 2003|ref=1A}}</ref> El Aissami's mother is of Lebanese origin.<ref>{{Cite news|agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] (AFP) |date=5 January 2017 |title=Venezuela president names new potential successor |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |location=Manchester, England |url=http://guardian.ng/news/venezuela-president-names-new-potential-successor/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20170106173320/http://guardian.ng/news/venezuela-president-names-new-potential-successor/ |archive-date=6 January 2017 |deadurl=no}}</ref> ==Education== Studying both law and criminology, El Aissami attended [[University of the Andes (Venezuela)|the University of the Andes (ULA)]]<ref name="MHvp">{{cite news|last1=Wyss|first1=Jim|title=Venezuela’s Maduro names controversial vice president — and potential successor|url=http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article124609614.html|accessdate=5 January 2017|work=[[The Miami Herald]]|date=4 January 2017}}</ref> in Mérida, Venezuela, a city that "for decades been a haven for guerrilla groups, both domestic and foreign".<ref name="SPT2003"/> While there, he was a student of [[Adán Chávez|Adán Chávez Frías]], the older brother of Hugo Chávez, who was said to have been a mentor to El Aissami.<ref name="ECvp">{{cite news|title=Tareck El Aissami, de gobernador a vicepresidente de la República|url=http://efectococuyo.com/politica/tareck-el-aissami-de-gobernador-a-vicepresidente-de-la-republica|accessdate=5 January 2017|work=[[Efecto Cocuyo]]|date=4 January 2017|language=es-ES}}</ref><ref name="DLAdetails"/> Utopia, a leftist student movement with links to the guerrilla group [[Bolivarian Forces of Liberation]], was active on ULA's campus.<ref name="Newcabinet"/><ref name="WARofALL"/> El Aissami joined Utopia and befriended one of its founders, Hugo Cabezas.<ref name="maryanastasia"/><ref name="Newcabinet"/> In 2001, El Aissami became involved in student politics and became president of the student union at ULA, with his tenure reportedly having an increase of radical student and criminal activities according to ULA officials.<ref name="Newcabinet"/><ref name="WARofALL"/> According to the vice rector of academic affairs at ULA, student dormitories which were allegedly occupied by Utopia and its allies, of the 1,122 living there, "only 387 are active students and more than 600 have no university connections", and that there were "always weapons there".<ref name="WARofALL"/><ref name="SPT2003"/> Unnamed opponents claimed that during student elections El Aissami threatened other candidates with armed gangs, while former governor Florencio Porras (PSUV) accused him of attempting to rig student elections.<ref name="IRONFISTED"/> Following the [[September 11 attacks]] in 2001, it was also reported by witnesses that El Aissami had celebrated the attacks on the United States.<ref name="IRONFISTED"/> On 27 March 2003, days after the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], El Aissami and his father attended a press conference with Iraq's ambassador to Venezuela, denouncing the United States invasion of Iraq and showing "solidarity" with "the defenseless Iraqi people."<ref name="SPT2003"/> El Aissami then first met Hugo Chávez while attending ULA and followed Chávez as a self-described radical [[chavista]] since.<ref name="IRONFISTED"/> He dedicated time during his post graduate studies to supporting Chávez's [[Fifth Republic Movement|Fifth Republic Movement (MVR)]].<ref name="DLAdetails"/> In July 2003, El Aissami lost his reelection campaign as president of the student union by 70% compared to other candidates, with the newly elected student council finding their office robbed and damaged.<ref name="SPT2003"/> After graduating with ''[[Latin honors#Types|magna cum laude]]'' honors, El Aissami maintained his connections with fellow ULA students as he entered into politics, with members of Utopia later obtaining positions in Venezuela's Bolivarian government.<ref name="IRONFISTED"/><ref name="Newcabinet"/> ==Political career== ===ONIDEX=== In September 2003, Hugo Cabezas, El Aissami's close friend from the ULA and Utopia, was appointed to be the head of the [[SAIME|National Office of Identification and Foreigners (ONIDEX)]], a passport and naturalization agency that was part of Venezuela's interior ministry, by President Hugo Chávez.<ref name="Newcabinet"/><ref name="WARofALL"/> The same year,<ref name="INFOhezbo">{{cite news|title=Los nexos de Hezbollah en América Latina Hezbollah, Hezbollah en Latinoamérica, Terrorismo, Irán en América Latina, Irán en Latinoamérica, Venezuela, FARC, Los Zetas, Cártel de Sinaloa - América|url=http://www.infobae.com/1969/12/31/1566409-los-nexos-hezbollah-america-latina/|accessdate=15 February 2017|work=[[Infobae]]|date=22 May 2014}}</ref> after El Aissami had lost the student reelection campaign, Cabezas invited him to work as his deputy at ONIDEX.<ref name="IRONFISTED"/><ref name="annamahjar">{{Cite web|first=Anna |last=Mahjar-Barducci |url=http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/1878/venezuelan-minister-hezbollah |title=Venezuelan Minister Hangs Out With Hezbollah |publisher=[[Gatestone Institute]] |date=11 February 2011 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20170205084233/https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/1878/venezuelan-minister-hezbollah |archive-date=5 February 2017 |deadurl=no}}</ref><ref name="LAHTmorg">{{Cite news|authorlink=Robert M. Morgenthau|last=Morgenthau|first=Robert M. |title=Morgenthau: The Link Between Iran and Venezuela – A Crisis in the Making? |url=http://laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=343289&CategoryId=10718 |accessdate=5 January 2017 |newspaper=[[Latin American Herald Tribune]] |date=8 September 2009}}</ref> Cabezas and El Aissami were then assigned to [[Mission Identidad]], a [[Bolivarian mission]] tasked with creating national identifications for Venezuelans.<ref name="Newcabinet"/> Soon after, the program "was criticized for allegedly granting identity documents to unqualified foreign nationals"<ref name="Newcabinet"/><ref name="WARofALL"/> ===National Assembly and Interior Ministry=== [[File:Vladimir Putin in Venezuela April 2010-29.jpeg|250px|thumb|right|El Aissami, beside [[Nicolás Maduro]], present [[Vladimir Putin]] the [[Key to the City]] of Caracas in April 2010.]] After being established in the capital city of [[Caracas]], El Aissami later campaigned to become a legislator in the National Assembly, winning a seat in the [[Venezuelan parliamentary election, 2005|2005 parliamentary elections]].<ref name="IRONFISTED"/><ref name="MHvp"/> From 2007 to 2008, he served in the Ministry of the Interior as the Vice Minister of Citizen Security.<ref name="MHvp"/> In September 2008, [[Hugo Chávez]] appointed El Aissami as Minister of the Interior and Justice<ref>{{Cite news|first=Jeremy |last=Morgan |date=2008 |title=Chávez Turns to Venezuela Crime with New Council |newspaper=[[Latin American Herald Tribune]] |url=http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=329909&CategoryId=10717 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20170106010427/http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=329909&CategoryId=10717 |archive-date=6 January 2017 |deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=9 September 2008 |url=http://www.escondiendolanoticia.com/en/mas.php?idnoticia=1578 |language=es |newspaper=Noticia Venezuela |title=Tarek El Aissami se desempeñará como nuevo titular del MIJ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20170215020225/http://www.escondiendolanoticia.com/en/mas.php?idnoticia=1578 |archive-date=15 February 2017 |deadurl=no}}</ref> In 2009, he stated that anti-drug operations in Venezuela had improved following the expulsion of the [[United States Drug Enforcement Administration]] (DEA) from Venezuela, stating that the Colombian and United States government anti-drug agencies had "turned into important drug-trafficking cartels".<ref>{{cite news|title=Satellites show Drug Flights Over Venezuela - Colombian Paper|accessdate=15 February 2017|work=BBC Monitoring Americas|date=2 November 2009}}</ref> On 24 August 2011, El Aissami announced the ban on the public use of firearms in Venezuela.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Venezuelan NGO estimates record murder rate in 2011|journal=[[Jane's Information Group|Jane's Intelligence Weekly]]|date=31 August 2011|volume=1|issue=34|accessdate=15 February 2017}}</ref> El Aissami headed the Ministry of the Interior and Justice until he was elected governor in 2012. ===Governor=== He served as the Governor of [[Aragua]] from 2012 until 2017. The Iranian military company [[Qods Aviation]], which was sanctioned under the 2007 [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 1747|UN Security Council Resolution 1747]], has operated in Aragua since 2008 in collaboration with the [[National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela#Military industry|Venezuelan Military Industries Company Ltd]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oqDYBAAAQBAJ|title=Iran's Strategic Penetration of Latin America|last=Humire|first=Joseph M.|last2=Berman|first2=Ilan|date=2014-10-08|publisher=Lexington Books|year=|isbn=9780739182673|location=|pages=65–66|language=en|quote=|via=}}</ref> The joint project throughout during El Aissami's tenure.<ref name="WSJdictatorTARECK">{{Cite news|title=Venezuela Tees Up Its Next Dictator |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=7 January 2017 |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/venezuela-tees-up-its-next-dictator-1483745334 |accessdate=9 January 2017 |subscription=yes}}</ref> According to analyst David Smilde of Washington Institute on Latin America (WOLA), while serving as Governor of Aragua, El Aissami "presided over a police force that came to be one of the most violent and abusive in the country".<ref name="NYTkingpin">{{cite news|last1=Herrero|first1=Ana Vanessa|last2=Casey|first2=Nicholas|title=U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Venezuela’s Vice President, Calling Him a Drug ‘Kingpin’|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/13/world/americas/venezuela-vice-president-sanctions-trump.html?_r=0|accessdate=15 February 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=13 February 2017}}</ref> Despite enacting 21 security plans for Aragua, violence continued to increase, with the murder rate at 142 murders per 100,000 citizens in 2016.<ref name="DLAdetails"/> ===Vice Presidency=== President [[Nicolás Maduro]] appointed El Aissami as Vice-President on 4 January 2017.<ref name="maryanastasia"/><ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-idUSKBN14O2CJ "Venezuela names economy czar, oil minister in cabinet shuffle"], Reuters, 4 January 2017.</ref> Due to controversy surrounding El Aissimi, the appointment was contentious. If a [[Presidency of Nicolás Maduro#Recall referendum|recall election]] were to occur in 2017, he would become the President of Venezuela until 2019.<ref name="MHvp"/> ====Decree powers==== {{Quote box|width=250px|align=right|quote=In terms of budgets, any minister or official is now going to have to ask for Tareck’s permission ... Without a doubt, he’s now the country’s second-most powerful man.|source=Jose Vicente Haro, constitutional law professor of [[Central University of Venezuela]]<ref name=BLOOMpower/>}} On 26 January 2017, President Maduro ruled by decree that El Aissami could use economic decree powers as well, granting El Aissami powers that a Vice-President in Venezuela had not held before and power that rivaled Maduro's own powers. El Aissami was granted the power to decree over "everything from taxes to foreign currency allotments for state-owned companies" as well as "hiring practices to state-owned enterprises". The move made El Aissami one of the most powerful men in Venezuela.<ref name=BLOOMpower>{{cite news|title=Maduro Hands Wide-Ranging Powers to Venezuela’s Vice President|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-01-30/maduro-hands-wide-ranging-powers-to-venezuela-s-vice-president|accessdate=31 January 2017|work=Bloomberg|date=30 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=New "Superpowers" Elevate El Aissami to Second in Command|url=https://panampost.com/sabrina-martin/2017/01/30/new-superpowers-elevate-el-aissami-second-command/|accessdate=31 January 2017|work=[[PanAm Post]]|date=30 January 2017}}</ref> ==Controversy== ===Drug trafficking and money laundering allegations=== {{Multiple image|direction=vertical|width=350|align=right|image1=21417 White House Press Briefing - Tareck El Aissami sanctions.webm|caption1= Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury, [[Steven Mnuchin]], making comments regarding the sanctions against Tareck El Aissami.|image2=20170213 El Aissami Lopez Bello Network.jpg|caption2=The United States Department of the Treasury's representation of Tareck El Aissami's alleged network of drug trafficking and money laundering.<ref>{{cite web|title=El Aissami Lopez Bello Network|url=https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Documents/20170213_el_aissami_lopez_bello_network.pdf|website=[[United States Department of Treasury]]|accessdate=15 February 2017}}</ref>}} Since 2011, the [[Homeland Security Investigations]] branch of the [[United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] and the [[United States Drug Enforcement Administration]] have investigated El Aissami for his alleged acts of money laundering in the Middle East, specifically in Lebanon.<ref name="IRONFISTED" /> According to ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'', El Aissami has been under investigation by the United States for his alleged activities in drug trafficking since 2015.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kurmanaev|first1=Anatoly|title=Venezuelan Leader Nicolás Maduro Shakes Up Cabinet|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/venezuelan-leader-nicolas-maduro-shakes-up-cabinet-1483579018|accessdate=5 January 2017|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=5 January 2017}}</ref> [[Rafael Isea]], the preceding governor of Aragua, stated that El Aissami was allegedly paid off by drug kingpin [[Walid Makled]] ([[:es:Walid Makled García|es]]) in order to receive drug shipments in Venezuela.<ref name=SUNwsj>{{cite news|last1=DeCórdoba|first1=José|last2=Forero|first2=Juan|title=Venezuelan Officials Suspected of Turning Country into Global Cocaine Hub; U.S. probe targets No. 2 official Diosdado Cabello, several others, on suspicion of drug trafficking and money laundering|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/venezuelan-officials-suspected-of-turning-country-into-global-cocaine-hub-1431977784|accessdate=19 May 2015|agency=''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''|date=18 May 2015}}</ref> Before being extradited to Venezuela Makled allegedly told DEA agents that from 2007 to 2012, he paid El Aissami's brother, Feras El Aissami, and told them to launder the money in the Venezuelan oil industry.<ref name="DLAdetails"/> On 13 February 2017 El Aissami was sanctioned by the [[US Treasury Department]] under the [[Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act]]. US officials accused him of facilitating drug shipments from Venezuela to Mexico and the US, freezing tens of millions of dollars of assets purportedly under El Aissami's control.<ref>{{cite web|title=Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sean Spicer, 2/14/2017, #12|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/02/14/press-briefing-press-secretary-sean-spicer-2142017-12|website=White House|accessdate=20 February 2017|language=en|date=14 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/a95c0636-f247-11e6-8758-6876151821a6|title=US labels Venezuelan vice-president a drug kingpin|last=Lynch|first=|last2=Sevastopulo|date=14 February 2017|website=Financial Times|language=en-GB|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2017-02-15|last3=Schipani}}</ref> A day later, Venezuela's opposition-controlled [[National Assembly (Venezuela)|National Assembly]] voted in favour of opening an investigation into El Aissami's alleged involvement in drug trafficking.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.infolatam.com/2017/02/14/parlamento-venezolano-investigara-acusaciones-ee-uu-aissami/|title=El Parlamento venezolano investigará acusaciones de EE.UU. contra El Aissami|website=Infolatam|access-date=2017-02-14}}</ref> El Aissami has denied any criminal wrongdoing while President Maduro defended him saying "Venezuela will respond, step by step, with balance and force ... They will retract and apologize publicly to our vice president", while also stating that El Aissami had arrested more than 100 drug traffickers, with 21 being extradited to the United States.<ref name="NYTkingpinRESPONSE">{{cite news|last1=Casey|first1=Nicholas|title=Venezuela Closes Ranks Around Sanctioned Vice President, Tareck El Aissami|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/14/world/americas/maduro-tareck-el-aissami-venezuela-drug-trafficking.html|accessdate=15 February 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=14 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="globo">{{cite news|title=Bancada oficialista rechaza acusaciones contra Tareck El Aissami|url=http://globovision.com/article/bancada-oficialista-rechaza-acusaciones-contra-tareck-el-aissami|accessdate=15 February 2017|work=Globovisión|date=15 February 2017|language=es-ES}}</ref> In an open letter, published as an advertisement in the [[New York Times]], El Aissami stated: "I have no assets or accounts in the United States or in any country of the world, and it is both absurd and pathetic that an American administrative body —without presenting any evidence— adopts a measure to freeze goods and assets that I do not own at all."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Woody|first1=Christopher|title=Venezuela's vice president took out a full-page ad in The New York Times to defend himself against sanctions|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/venezuela-vice-president-new-york-times-full-page-ad-drug-trafficking-2017-2|accessdate=22 February 2017|work=Business Insider|date=22 February 2017|language=en}}</ref> ====''Narcosobrinos'' incident==== {{details|Narcosobrinos incident|Cartel of the Suns}} Following arrests surrounding the ''Narcosobrinos'' incident, an event that resulted in the arrest and conviction of President Maduro's nephews, links were allegedly found between El Aissami and an accomplice who was arrested in Honduras.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Clavel|first1=Tristan|title=Arrest of Third Suspect May be Game Changer in Venezuela's 'Narco Nephews' Case|url=http://www.insightcrime.org/news-analysis/third-defendant-could-be-game-changer-for-narco-nephews-case|website=[[InsightCrime]]|accessdate=31 January 2017|language=en-gb}}</ref> According to a source speaking to ''[[El Nuevo Herald]]'' about the incident, Roberto de Jesús Soto Garcia, a Honduran man who provided logistical information on drug shipments for Maduro's nephews, assisted El Aissami as well.<ref name="ENHnarco">{{cite news|last1=Maria Delgado|first1=Antonio|title=Presentan cargos por narcotráfico contra socio hondureño de los sobrinos de Maduro|url=http://www.elnuevoherald.com/noticias/mundo/america-latina/venezuela-es/article86773377.html|accessdate=31 January 2017|work=[[El Nuevo Herald]]|date=29 June 2016|language=en}}</ref> The source stated Soto Garcia worked with a group of Venezuelan officials, called the [[Cartel of the Suns]], and that he worked "particularly with the operation headed by Tarek El Aissami, and his company. He's someone who has been working with them for some time now."<ref name="ENHnarco"/> According to testimony from the nephews, the cocaine that was to be transported to the United States by the two was allegedly supplied by El Aissami.<ref name="ENHnarco"/> ===Terrorism network allegations=== {{details|Corruption in Venezuela #Alleged government assistance of terrorist organizations}} In 2003, the ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' recorded statements by an anonymous US official that "several thousand" people from "terrorism-sponsoring countries" were obtaining Venezuelan identifications from ONIDEX while El Aissmi was part of its leadership.<ref name="WARofALL"/> The official further stated that, "Colombians were the largest group; there were more than a thousand of them. It also included many from Middle Eastern 'countries of interest' like Syria, Egypt, Pakistan, Lebanon. It was shocking to see how extensive the list was".<ref name="WARofALL"/> According to ''[[PanAm Post]]'', US prosecutors have alleged that El Aissami was Venezuela's "liaison" with [[Hezbollah]] and has provided passports to "terrorist organizations."<ref name="panampost.com">{{Cite news|url=https://panampost.com/sabrina-martin/2017/01/30/new-superpowers-elevate-el-aissami-second-command/|title=New "Superpowers" Elevate El Aissami to Second in Command|date=2017-01-30|newspaper=PanAm Post|access-date=2017-02-12|language=en-US}}</ref> A report by the [[Center for a Secure Free Society]] released in 2014 alleged that Aissami has "developed a sophisticated financial network and multi-level networks as a criminal-terrorist pipeline to bring Islamic militants to Venezuela and neighboring countries, and to send illicit funds from Latin America to the Middle East." The alleged "pipeline" consists of 40 [[shell companies]] which have bank accounts in Venezuela, Panama, Curacao, St. Lucia, Miami and Lebanon and is also involved in drug smuggling.<ref name = CSFS>{{Cite conference| publisher = Center for a Secure and Free Society| last1 = Henderson| first1 = Victoria L.| last2 = Humire| first2 = Joseph M.| last3 = Menedez| first3 = Fernando D.| title = Canada on Guard: Assessing the Immigration Security Threat of Iran, Venezuela and Cuba| accessdate = 2017-02-12| date =June 2014 |url = http://www.securefreesociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/CANADA_ON_GUARD_JUNE_20143.pdf}}</ref> Former Vice President [[José Vicente Rangel]], who served under Hugo Chávez, denounced the SFS study, stating that it was a "combined campaign" by SFS and the Canadian government to attack Venezuela, though Ben Rowswell, the Canadian ambassador in Venezuela, denied the accusations by Rangel.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Siekierski |first1=B. J. |date=21 October 2014 |title=In Venezuela, Canadian envoy takes to Twitter to refute conspiracy theories |publisher=iPolitics |url=http://www.ipolitics.ca/2014/10/21/in-venezuela-canadian-envoy-takes-to-twitter-to-refute-conspiracy-theories/ |accessdate=22 October 2014 }}</ref> In a 2015 report by the [[United States Department of State]], "There were credible reports that Venezuela maintained a permissive environment that allowed for support of activities that benefited known terrorist groups."<ref name=CNNpassport /> [[New York County District Attorney]] [[Robert M. Morgenthau]] stated that while El Aissami was head of ONIDEX, Venezuela's passport and naturalization agency, he provided passports to [[Hamas]] and [[Hezbollah]] members. He also stated that it was possible that El Aissami was recruiting Arab Venezuelans to train under Hezbollah in southern [[Lebanon]].<ref name="LAHTmorg"/> Joseph Humire, executive director of SFS, states that "Tareck’s network is less ideological and more of a service provider ... It’s not so much built on an ideological affinity to anybody, but who wants to pay to play."<ref name="IRONFISTED"/> In February 2017, [[CNN]] reported in its article "Venezuelan Passports, in the Wrong Hands?", an investigation performed focusing on the sale of Venezuelan passports to individuals in the Middle East, specifically Syria, Palestine, Iraq and Pakistan. According to Misael López Soto, a former employee at the Venezuelan embassy in Iraq who was also a lawyer and [[CICPC]] officer, the Bolivarian government would sell authentic passports to individuals from the Middle East, with the Venezuelan passport able to access 130 countries throughout the world without a visa requirement. López provided CNN documents showing how his superiors attempted to cover up the sale of passports, which were being sold from $5,000 to $15,000 per passport. A confidential intelligence report obtained by CNN linked El Aissami to 173 passports and ID's given between 2008 and 2015 to individuals from the Middle East, some of whom were purportedly associated with Hezbollah.<ref name="panampost.com"/><ref name=CNNpassport>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/08/world/venezuela-passports-investigation/index.html |title=Venezuela may have given passports to people with ties to terrorism |last1=Zamost |first=Scott |first2=Drew |last2=Griffin |first3=Kay |last3=Guerrero |first4=Rafael |last4=Romo |date=8 February 2017 |website=CNN |access-date=14 February 2017}}</ref><ref name="CNNpassportES">{{cite news|last1=Zamost|first1=Scott|last2=Guerrero|first2=Kay|last3=Griffin|first3=Drew|last4=Romo|first4=Rafael|last5=del Rincón|first5=Fernando|title=Pasaportes venezolanos, ¿en manos equivocadas?|url=http://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2017/02/06/pasaportes-venezolanos-en-manos-equivocadas/|accessdate=8 February 2017|work=[[CNN Español]]|date=7 February 2017}}</ref> The Bolivarian government did not investigate the allegations made by López and instead initiated an investigation against him for his act of leaking "confidential" documents and stated that he had abandoned his duty.<ref name=CNNpassport/> Following the release of the CNN report, President Maduro demanded that CNN leave Venezuela, stating that the network had sought to "manipulate" Venezuelans.<ref name=CNNfuera>{{cite news|title=Maduro: ¡Fuera CNN de Venezuela! (Video)|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/site/2017/02/12/maduro-fuera-cnn-de-venezuela/|accessdate=12 February 2017|work=[[La Patilla]]|issue=12 February 2017|language=es-ES}}</ref> ==Personal life== El Aissami is married and has two children. His sister is a diplomat of the Bolivarian government and served as Venezuela's ambassador to the Netherlands until 2016. El Aissami is often seen surrounded by his bodyguards, whom he personally selects.<ref name="IRONFISTED"/> El Aissami and his father both showed support for the government of Sadaam Hussein following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. His father, Zaidan, wrote the article "Proud to be a [[Taliban]]", describing United States President [[George W. Bush]] as "genocidal, mentally deranged, a liar and a racist" while also describing the leader of [[Al-Qaeda]] as "the great [[Mujahedeen]], Sheik [[Osama bin Laden]]". Zaidan El Aissami also alleged that the United States may have been responsible for the September 11 terrorist attacks to create an excuse to invade Afghanistan.<ref name="SPT2003"/> Prior to his participation in dialogue between the opposition and Venezuelan government as well as his appointment to the vice presidency, members of El Aissami's family, including his father and mother, traveled to stay in the United States for unknown reasons in late October 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tension Grows Between Administration and Congress|url=https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/tension-grows-between-administration-and-congress|website=[[Stratfor]]|accessdate=13 January 2017}}</ref> On 4 February 2015, it was revealed that [[Aragua FC]] had signed him as a striker.<ref>{{Cite news|date=4 February 2015 |title=Aragua anunció oficialmente a Tareck El Aissami como nuevo fichaje para el Clausura |language=es |url=http://gradadigital.com/home/aragua-anuncio-oficialmente-a-tareck-el-aissami-como-nuevo-fichaje-para-el-clausura/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20150801021949/http://gradadigital.com/home/aragua-anuncio-oficialmente-a-tareck-el-aissami-como-nuevo-fichaje-para-el-clausura/ |archive-date=1 August 2015 |deadurl=no}}</ref> Aragua FC was heavily sponsored from El Aissami's state and there are no records of him receiving playing time on the field as of January 2017.<ref name="EPvp">{{cite news|title=Tareck El Aissami, el chavista más rechazado por la oposición|url=http://internacional.elpais.com/internacional/2017/01/05/america/1483587590_026370.html|accessdate=5 January 2017|work=[[El País]]|date=5 January 2017|language=es}}</ref> ==See also== {{Portal|Venezuela|Biography}} *[[List of Venezuelans]] ==References== {{Reflist}} {{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Aristóbulo Istúriz]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Vice President of Venezuela]]|years=2017&ndash;''present''}} {{s-inc|}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Rafael Isea]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Governor of [[Aragua]]|years=2012-2017}} {{s-aft|after=Vacant}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Ramón Rodríguez Chacín]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Minister of Interior and Justice (Venezuela)|Minister of Interior and Justice]]|years=2008&ndash;2012}} {{s-aft|after=Néstor Reverol}} {{s-end}} {{Venezuela state governors}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Aissami, Tareck El}} [[Category:1974 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Druze people of Venezuelan nationality]] [[Category:Venezuelan people of Lebanese descent]] [[Category:Venezuelan people of Syrian descent]] [[Category:Venezuelan Ministers of Interior]] [[Category:Members of the National Assembly (Venezuela)]] [[Category:United Socialist Party of Venezuela politicians]] [[Category:Governors of Aragua]] [[Category:People from Mérida (state)]]'