{{Short description|Vice President of Venezuela from 2017 to 2018 and convicted political criminal}} {{family name hatnote|El Aissami|Maddah|lang=Hispanic American}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Tareck El Aissami | honorific_suffix = | image = Tareck El Aissami Portrait.jpg | caption = El Aissami in 2016 | order = | office = Minister of Petroleum | term_end = 20 March 2023 | term_start = 27 April 2020 | president = [[Nicolás Maduro]] | predecessor = [[Manuel Quevedo]] | successor = [[Pedro Tellechea]] | office2 = Minister of Industries and National Production | term_start2 = 14 June 2018 | term_end2 = 19 August 2021 | president2 = [[Nicolás Maduro]] | predecessor2 = Juan Arias Palacio | successor2 = [[Jorge Arreaza]] | office3 = [[Vice President of Venezuela]] | term_start3 = 4 January 2017 | term_end3 = 14 June 2018 | president3 = [[Nicolás Maduro]] | predecessor3 = [[Aristóbulo Istúriz]] | successor3 = [[Delcy Rodríguez]] | office4 = [[List of Governors of Aragua|Governor of Aragua]] | term_start4 = 27 December 2012 | term_end4 = 4 January 2017 | predecessor4 = [[Rafael Isea]] | successor4 = Caryl Bertho | office5 = [[Minister of Interior and Justice (Venezuela)|Minister of Interior and Justice]] | term_start5 = 8 September 2008 | term_end5 = 13 October 2012 | predecessor5 = [[Ramón Rodríguez Chacín]] | successor5 = [[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]], [[Republic of Venezuela|Venezuela]] | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = Rudy Amer de El Aissami | party = [[PSUV]] (2007–2023) | other_party = [[Fifth Republic Movement|MVR]] (2003–2007) | relations = | relatives = [[Haifa El Aissami]] (sister) <br> [[Shibli al-Aysami]] (great-uncle) | children = 2 | alma_mater = [[University of the Andes, Venezuela|University of the Andes]] | occupation = | profession = [[Politician]] | signature = | website = | footnotes = | module = {{Infobox |child=yes |headerstyle=background:lavender; | header1 = Criminal details {{Infobox criminal|child=yes | conviction = [[Embezzlement]], [[Treason]] | beginyear = | endyear = | penalty = | imprisoned = [[Fuerte Tiuna]] | apprehended = 9 April 2024 }}}} | office6 = Deputy of the [[National Assembly of Venezuela]] | constituency6 = [[Mérida State|Mérida]] | term_start6 = 10 January 2006 | term_end6 = 16 January 2007 | president5 = [[Hugo Chávez]] }} '''Tareck Zaidan El Aissami Maddah'''{{efn|{{IPA|es|taˈɾek ˈsajdan el ajˈsami ˈmaða}}}} (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=https://web.archive.org/web/20170128015211/http://tareck.psuv.org.ve/biografia/ |archive-date=28 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> is a Venezuelan politician and [[Treason|political criminal]] who served as the [[vice president of Venezuela]] from 2017 to 2018. He served as Minister of Industries and National Production since 14 June 2018, and as Minister of Petroleum from 27 April 2020 until 20 March 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=Venezuela oil minister resigns as Maduro cracks down on corruption |url=https://www.ft.com/content/4b8e609f-a62e-4933-b5d1-12fe248bf1dd}}</ref> He previously was [[List of Ministers of Interior and Justice of Venezuela|Minister of the Interior and Justice]] from 2008 to 2012, [[Governor of Aragua]] from 2012 to 2017, and the [[vice president of Venezuela]] from 2017 to 2018. While holding that office, El Aissami faced allegations of participating in [[corruption]], [[money laundering]] and [[drug trafficking]] associated also to [[Hezbollah in Latin America|Hezbollah]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/14/us-accuses-venezuelan-vice-president-of-role-in-global-drug-trafficking|title=US accuses Venezuelan vice-president of role in global drug trafficking|agency=Associated Press|date=2017-02-13|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-07-20|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Freixes |first=Josep |date=2024-08-14 |title=Hezbollah in Latin America: Colombian Police Operation Reveals Possible Links |url=https://colombiaone.com/2024/08/14/colombia-hezbollah-latin-america/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=Colombia One: News from Colombia and the World |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Crime |first=InSight |date=2024-03-26 |title=Tareck El Aissami |url=https://insightcrime.org/venezuela-organized-crime-news/tareck-el-aissami/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=InSight Crime |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Casey |first=Nicholas |date=2019-05-02 |title=Secret Venezuela Files Warn About Maduro Confidant |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/02/world/americas/venezuela-maduro-hezbollah-drugs.html |access-date=2025-01-05 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In 2019, [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] (ICE) added El Aissami to the [[ICE Most Wanted|ICE Most Wanted List]], listed by the [[Homeland Security Investigations]] unit.<ref name="apnews.com">{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/ae626af252a1423984abb279da219aec|title=ICE: Former Venezuelan VP among 10 most wanted fugitives|date=31 July 2019|website=Associated Press|access-date=1 August 2019}}</ref> El Aissami, who was among the power brokers in [[Nicolás Maduro]]'s government, resigned on 20 March 2023 during a corruption probe.<ref>{{cite web |title=Venezuela Oil Minister Resigns Amid Widening Corruption Probe |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/venezuela-oil-minister-resigns-amid-widening-corruption-probe-c2b1468c}}</ref> He was arrested by the Venezuelan prosecutor's office on charges of treason, money laundering and criminal association.
== Early life == [[File:Duri, Hussein, Aysami and Ramadhan during Aflaq funeral.jpg|thumb|left|El Aissami's great-uncle, [[Shibli al-Aysami]], in a suit beside [[Saddam Hussein]] in July 1989.]] El Aissami 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|access-date=7 February 2017|work=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]]|date=6 February 2017}}</ref> He is one of five children. His mother, May Maddah de El Aissami, is Lebanese<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=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106173320/http://guardian.ng/news/venezuela-president-names-new-potential-successor/ |archive-date=6 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ElPitazo">{{cite news|title=Conoce el mapa de relaciones de Tareck El Aissami|url=https://elpitazo.com/investigacion/audio-e-infografia-conoce-mapa-relaciones-tareck-aissami|access-date=25 January 2019|work=El Pitazo|date=22 February 2017}}</ref> while his father, Zaidan El Amin El Aissami, also known as Carlos Zaidan, was a [[Druze in Syria|Druze]] immigrant from [[Jabal al-Druze]] in [[Syria]].<ref>{{cite news|first =Francisco|last = Toro|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2017/02/14/the-u-s-treasury-says-that-venezuelas-vice-president-is-a-drug-trafficker/|title=The U.S. Treasury says that Venezuela's vice president is a drug trafficker|date =14 February 2017 |newspaper=The Washington Post|quote=El Aissami is a member of Venezuela’s sizable Druze community. His father is Syrian, his mother Lebanese.}}</ref> He was the head of a local Iraqi [[Ba'ath Party|Ba'athist Party]] in Venezuela and had connections with leftist political movements in the Middle East.<ref name="IRONFISTED"/><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|access-date=8 January 2017|work=[[Diario Las Americas]]|date=29 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first =Sean |last = Savage|url=https://www.israelhayom.com/2019/06/07/are-iran-and-hezbollah-turning-venezuela-into-the-next-syria/|title=Are Iran and Hezbollah turning Venezuela into the next Syria?|date =6 July 2019 |publisher=Israel Hayom|quote=Born in Venezuela to a Lebanese mother and Syrian Druze father.}}</ref> Another family member of El Aissami involved in [[Ba'athism]] was his great-uncle, [[Shibli al-Aysami|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="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|access-date=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|work=[[St.Petersburg Times]]|date=28 November 2003|ref=1A}}</ref>
El Aissami's father supported [[Hugo Chávez]] during the February [[1992 Venezuelan coup d'état attempts|1992 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt]] and was arrested.<ref name="IRONFISTED"/><ref name="DLAtareck"/> Following the arrest of El Aissami's father in 1992, his great-uncle Shibli El Aissami retired from politics in [[Ba'athist Iraq|Iraq]], remaining in the country until the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|2003 US-led invasion of Iraq]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Lebanon arrests Baath cell involved in kidnapping Syrian opposition members |url=http://yalibnan.com/2014/12/19/lebanon-arrests-baath-cell-involved-in-kidnapping-syrian-opposition-members/ |access-date=27 July 2018 |work=[[Ya Libnan]] |date=19 December 2014}}</ref>
== Education and militancy == Studying both law and criminology, El Aissami attended the [[University of the Andes (Venezuela)|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|access-date=5 January 2017|work=[[The Miami Herald]]|date=4 January 2017}}</ref> in Mérida, Venezuela. 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="DLAdetails"/><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|access-date=5 January 2017|work=[[Efecto Cocuyo]]|date=4 January 2017|language=es-ES}}</ref> In 1997, he joined the National Youth Directorate of the [[Fifth Republic Movement]] to support the election of [[Hugo Chávez]]. Near the same time, El Aissami was arrested during an anti-government protest after throwing stones at authorities.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}
In 2001, El Aissami became president of the student union at ULA.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}} According to the vice rector of academic affairs at ULA, most of the 1,122 students living in the student dormitories at the time were members of Utopia or its allies, that "only 387 are active students and more than 600 have no university connections", and that there were "always weapons there".<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 [[Chavismo|chavista]] since.<ref name="IRONFISTED"/> He dedicated time during his post graduate studies to supporting Chávez's [[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"/>
== 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.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}} 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/|access-date=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="LAHTmorg">{{Cite news |author-link=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 |access-date=5 January 2017 |newspaper=[[Latin American Herald Tribune]] |date=8 September 2009 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Cabezas and El Aissami were then assigned to [[Mission Identidad]], a [[Bolivarian mission]] tasked with creating national identifications for Venezuelans.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}
=== 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 [[2005 Venezuelan parliamentary election|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 Public 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=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106010427/http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=329909&CategoryId=10717 |archive-date=6 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</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=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215020225/http://www.escondiendolanoticia.com/en/mas.php?idnoticia=1578 |archive-date=15 February 2017 |url-status=live}}</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|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}}</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 Industry 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|last1=Humire|first1=Joseph M.|last2=Berman|first2=Ilan|date=2014-10-08|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=9780739182673|pages=65–66|language=en}}</ref> The joint project continued throughout 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 |access-date=9 January 2017 |url-access=subscription }}</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|access-date=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>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-idUSKBN14O2CJ "Venezuela names economy czar, oil minister in cabinet shuffle"], Reuters, 4 January 2017.</ref> As a result, he was the head official of the [[Bolivarian Intelligence Service|SEBIN]], Venezuela's [[intelligence agency]] that is dependent on the office of the vice presidency.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/2018/06/14/con-su-nuevo-cargo-delcy-rodriguez-sera-la-responsable-del-sebin/|title=Con su nuevo cargo, Delcy Rodríguez será la responsable del Sebin|date=14 June 2018|work=[[La Patilla]]|access-date=15 June 2018|language=es-ES}}</ref>
Due to controversy surrounding El Aissami, the appointment was contentious. If the then-proposed [[Presidency of Nicolás Maduro#Recall referendum|recall election]] were to occur in 2017, he would have become the President of Venezuela until the end of what would have been Maduro's remaining tenure into 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|access-date=31 January 2017|work=Bloomberg|date=30 January 2017}}</ref>
=== Minister of Industry and National Production === In June 2018, El Aissami was named the Minister of Industry and National Production, being tasked with overseeing Venezuela's domestic production.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dw.com/en/venezuela-president-nicolas-maduro-replaces-vice-president-promises-new-start/a-44233531 | title=Venezuela: President Nicolas Maduro replaces vice president, promises 'new start' | DW | 15.06.2018 | website=[[Deutsche Welle]] }}</ref>
While serving in the ministry, El Aissami was also named as an External Director of Venezuela's state-run oil company, [[PDVSA]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/2018/09/08/la-experiencia-brilla-por-su-ausencia-en-la-nueva-junta-directiva-de-pdvsa-gaceta-extraordinaria/|title=La experiencia brilla por su ausencia en la nueva Junta Directiva de Pdvsa (Gaceta Extraordinaria) - LaPatilla.com|date=2018-09-08|work=[[LaPatilla.com]]|access-date=2018-09-08|language=es-ES}}</ref>
=== Minister of Petroleum === In April 2020, he was named the Minister of Petroleum. His appointment marks a blow to an era of military control at [[PDVSA|Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA)]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-oil-minister/venezuela-appoints-alleged-drug-trafficker-el-aissami-as-oil-minister-idUSKCN2292TR|title=Venezuela appoints alleged drug trafficker El Aissami as oil minister|date=2020-04-27|work=[[Reuters]]|access-date=2018-04-28}}</ref>
On 29 November 2022, Petroleum Minister Tarek El Aissami met in Caracas with the president of [[Chevron Corporation]], Javier La Rosa. The Venezuelan ruling party says it is committed to "the development of oil production" after the easing of sanctions. The most important joint ventures where Chevron is involved in Venezuela are Petroboscán, in the west of the nation, and Petropiar, in the eastern [[Orinoco]] Belt, with a production capacity of close to 180,000 barrels per day between both projects. In the case of Petroboscán, current production is nil and, in Petropiar, current records indicate close to 50,000 barrels per day.<ref>{{cite web |title="Now to produce!": Maduro's government announces agreements with Chevron to resume operations |date=29 November 2022 |url=https://www.vozdeamerica.com/a/maduro-firma-acuerdos-chevron-venezuela-petroleo-/6855034.html}}</ref>
Al Aissami resigned from his position on Monday 20 March 2023 via Twitter, with his resignation accepted by Venezuelan President [[Nicolás Maduro]]. Al Aissami has been accused of corruption and financial mismanagement.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-oil-czar-resignation-pdvsa-97e03eca138a5d325dcfa738c0d183ab|title=Venezuela oil czar in surprise resignation amid graft probes|date=2023-03-21|work=[[AP News]]|access-date=2023-03-21}}</ref> He was arrested by the Venezuelan prosecutor's office on charges of treason, money laundering and criminal association.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-corruption-arrests-maduro-elaissami-eea92e199050fc414c3625e07bae6184|title=Former Venezuelan oil minister is arrested in connection with corruption probe, authorities say|date=2024-04-10|work=apnews.com|access-date=2024-04-10}}</ref> He was replaced in his role as Minister by Pedro Rafael Tellechea.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Buitrago |first1=Deisy |title=Venezuela president names PDVSA head Tellechea as new oil minister |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/venezuela-president-names-pdvsa-head-new-oil-minister-2023-03-22/ |website=Reuters |access-date=21 June 2024}}</ref>
== Controversies == === 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]]|access-date=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]] (DEA) 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|access-date=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 [[:es:Walid Makled|Walid Makled]] 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|access-date=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 name=":0">{{cite web|title=Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sean Spicer, 2/14/2017, #12|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2017/02/14/press-briefing-press-secretary-sean-spicer-2142017-12|access-date=20 February 2017|language=en|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|date=14 February 2017}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/a95c0636-f247-11e6-8758-6876151821a6|title=US labels Venezuelan vice-president a drug kingpin|last1=Lynch|last2=Sevastopulo|date=14 February 2017|website=Financial Times|language=en-GB|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|access-date=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|access-date=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|access-date=22 February 2017|work=Business Insider|date=22 February 2017|language=en}}</ref>
In 2019, [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] (ICE) added El Aissami to the list of 10 most wanted fugitives.<ref name="apnews.com"/> On 26 March 2020, the U.S. [[Department of State]] offered $10 million for information to bring him to justice in relation to [[drug trafficking]] and [[narco-terrorism]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/department-of-state-offers-rewards-for-information-to-bring-venezuelan-drug-traffickers-to-justice/|title=Department of State Offers Rewards for Information to Bring Venezuelan Drug Traffickers to Justice|website=state.gov|date=26 March 2020}}</ref>
==== ''Narcosobrinos'' incident ==== {{further|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 found guilty of attempting to smuggle 800 kilos of cocaine into the United States, 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]]|access-date=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|access-date=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 === {{further|Corruption in Venezuela #Alleged government assistance of terrorist organizations}} A report by the [[Center for a Secure Free Society]] released in 2014 alleged that El 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| access-date = 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/ |access-date=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 ''"[[Passport fraud in Venezuela and Iraq|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 for from $5,000 to $15,000 per passport. A confidential intelligence report obtained by CNN linked El Aissami to 173 passports and IDs given between 2008 and 2015 to individuals from the Middle East, some of whom were purportedly associated with Hezbollah.<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 |first1=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/|access-date=8 February 2017|work=[[CNN Español]]|date=7 February 2017}}</ref>
The Venezuelan 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/|access-date=12 February 2017|work=[[La Patilla]]|issue=12 February 2017|language=es-ES}}</ref>
=== Sanctions === El Aissami has been [[Sanctions during the Venezuelan crisis|sanctioned by several countries]].
The United States Treasury Department sanctioned El Aissami on 13 February 2017 under the [[Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act]] after being accused of facilitating drug shipments from Venezuela to Mexico and the United States, [[Asset freezing|freezing]] tens of millions of dollars of assets purportedly under El Aissami's control.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Treasury Sanctions Venezuelan Vice President Over Drug Trade Allegations |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/02/13/515074498/u-s-treasury-sanctions-venezuelan-vice-president-over-drug-trade-allegations |access-date=2024-07-05}}</ref>
[[Canada]] sanctioned El Aissami on 22 September 2017 due to rupture of Venezuela's constitutional order following the [[2017 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly election]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Venezuela sanctions|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2017/09/venezuela_sanctions.html|website=[[Government of Canada]]|access-date=22 September 2017|language=en|date=22 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Canada sanctions 40 Venezuelans with links to political, economic crisis|url=https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/canada-sanctions-40-venezuelans-with-links-to-political-economic-crisis/article36367074/?ref=https://www.theglobeandmail.com&|access-date=22 September 2017|work=[[The Globe and Mail]]|date=22 September 2017}}</ref>
The [[European Union]] sanctioned El Aissami on 25 June 2018, with his assets frozen and being banned from travel. The European Union stated that when El Aissami was Vice President of Venezuela, the [[Bolivarian Intelligence Service|SEBIN]] intelligence service, under his command, made him "responsible for the serious human rights violations carried out by the organization, including arbitrary detention, politically motivated investigations, inhumane and degrading treatment, and torture".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article213778194.html|title=European Union hits 11 more Venezuelans with sanctions|work=[[The Miami Herald]]|access-date=2018-07-10|language=en}}</ref>
Switzerland sanctioned El Aissami on 10 July 2018, freezing his assets and imposing a travel ban while citing the same reasons of the European Union.<ref name= Swiss11>{{cite news |url= http://laht.com/article.asp?CategoryId=10717&ArticleId=2460676 |work= Latin American Herald Tribune |date= 9 July 2018 |access-date= 20 April 2019 |title= Switzerland Sanctions 11 More Venezuelans, including Delcy Rodriguez, El Aissami, Chourio |archive-date= 13 August 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200813021305/http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2460676&CategoryId=10717 |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref name=swissinfo>{{Cite news|url= https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/toute-l-actu-en-bref/sanctions-suisses-contre-la-vice-pr%C3%A9sidente-du-venezuela/44248640|title=Sanctions suisses contre la vice-présidente du Venezuela|publisher= Swiss Broadcasting Company|access-date=19 April 2019|language=fr|trans-title= Swiss sanctions against the vice president of Venezuela |date= 10 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/fre/toute-l-actu-en-bref/sanctions-suisses-contre-la-vice-pr%C3%A9sidente-du-venezuela/44248640#.W0TM2JCXbdE.twitter|title=Sanctions suisses contre la vice-présidente du Venezuela|work=[[Government of Switzerland]]|access-date=2018-07-10|language=fr}}</ref>
== Personal life == El Aissami is married and has two children. His sister, [[Haifa El Aissami]], 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 [[Saddam Hussein]] following the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. 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 11 September terrorist attacks to create an excuse to invade Afghanistan.<ref name="SPT2003"/>
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=https://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 |url-status=live}}</ref> Aragua FC was heavily sponsored by El Aissami's entities 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|access-date=5 January 2017|work=[[El País]]|date=5 January 2017|language=es}}</ref>
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]]|access-date=13 January 2017}}</ref>
== See also == {{Portal|Venezuela|Biography}} * [[List of ministers of interior of Venezuela]] * [[Esteban Trapiello]] * [[Passport fraud in Venezuela and Iraq]]
== Notes == {{notelist}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=[[Ramón Rodríguez Chacín]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Minister of Interior and Justice (Venezuela)|Minister of Interior and Justice]]|years=2008–2012}} {{s-aft|after=Néstor Reverol}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=[[Rafael Isea]]}} {{s-ttl|title=Governor of [[Aragua]]|years=2012–2017}} {{s-aft|after=Caryl Bertho}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=[[Aristóbulo Istúriz]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Vice President of Venezuela]]|years=2017–2018}} {{s-aft|after=[[Delcy Rodríguez]]}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:El Aissami, Tareck}} [[Category:1974 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Venezuelan Druze people]] [[Category:Venezuelan people of Lebanese descent]] [[Category:Venezuelan people of Syrian descent]] [[Category:Ministers of interior of Venezuela]] [[Category:Members of the National Assembly (Venezuela)]] [[Category:United Socialist Party of Venezuela politicians]] [[Category:Governors of Aragua]] [[Category:People from Mérida (state)]] [[Category:People of the Crisis in Venezuela]] [[Category:Vice presidents of Venezuela]] [[Category:Fugitives wanted by the United States]] [[Category:Arab diaspora in Venezuela]] [[Category:Justice ministers of Venezuela]] [[Category:University of the Andes (Venezuela) alumni]] [[Category:Hugo Chávez ministers]] [[Category:Nicolás Maduro ministers]]