Former President Donald Trump’s indictment last week may have left the U.S. in uncharted waters. But the rest of the Western Hemisphere provides plenty of lessons for what happens when a former president is indicted. While a successful trial and conviction is possible, not all cases end the political careers of former leaders.
As part of his “Total Peace” plan, President Gustavo Petro has asked Colombia’s armed groups clamp down on lethal violence. While some have complied, others have traded conspicuous violence for other types of coercion, leading many to fear they are taking advantage of the government’s outreach to quietly dig in their heels.
Tareck El Aissami has resigned as Venezuela’s oil minister after a wave of arrests for alleged corruption at the state-owned oil company. It’s unclear whether the arrests signal an internal power struggle within the regime. But El Aissami, an influential confidant of Nicolas Maduro, likely is an important piece of the puzzle.
