Questions accompany drug suspect back to Venezuela

[Bacchus39]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110510/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_colombia_narco


CARACAS, Venezuela – Colombia's extradition of alleged cocaine kingpin Walid Makled has Venezuelans asking about the huge payments he claims to have made to close associates of President Hugo Chavez and opposition leaders are demanding answers.

The allegations, lingering doubts and inquiries about millions of dollars in payments purportedly made to government officials and military officers has prompted the independent media to nickname him "Venezuela's Deep Throat."

Opposition leaders are asking if Chavez was aware of alleged dirty dealings, how Makled amassed a fortune estimated at roughly $1 billion in a decade, if investigators will try to answer the questions and whether any officials will ever go to trial.

Other Venezuelans want to know if Makled, who denies any wrongdoing, will be permitted to talk publicly about his case. The suspected drug smuggler has repeatedly demanded that his trial be televised and expressed interest in talking to Venezuelan journalists about the allegations against him.