CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s all-powerful National Constitutional Assembly has named as its new chief a man deemed by U.S. officials to be an international drug trafficker.
Socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello took the oath as the assembly’s president Tuesday.
The international community condemned the Constitutional Assembly’s formation last year as President Nicolas Maduro’s move to rob power from the opposition-controlled National Assembly.
The United States recently listed Cabello among 70 high-ranking officials accused of gutting Venezuela’s democracy.
U.S. officials sanctioned Cabello, calling him a drug trafficker who heads a major corruption network that siphons funds from state-run companies.
While taking his oath, Cabello vowed to support Maduro.
Cabello replaces Delcy Rodriguez, who Maduro recently named Venezuela’s vice president
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