Free Republic

With a limited permit from New York State to practice medicine as an international medical graduate, Dr. Bello was essentially an extra pair of hands for the department of family medicine at the 17-story hospital, one of the biggest and busiest in New York City. Dr. Sridhar Chilimuri, the hospital’s physician in chief, said Dr. Bello could treat patients and prescribe medication, as long as other doctors were looking over his shoulder, and only at Bronx-Lebanon. “Not over there — not in a clinic,” he said for emphasis, pointing out the hospital’s doors. But Dr. Bello’s slow journey to the...

To his dying breath, Dr. Henry Bello saw himself as the one true victim …

U.S. authorities on Monday said the vice president of Venezuela was an international drug trafficker and slapped severe sanctions on him. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said Tareck El Aissami has played a "significant role in international narcotics trafficking," a news release said. "OFAC's action today is the culmination of a multi-year investigation under the Kingpin Act to target significant narcotics traffickers in Venezuela and demonstrates that power and influence do not protect those who engage in these illicit activities," said John Smith, acting director of OFAC. El Aissami, who was appointed vice president of Venezuela...

The Trump administration is slapping sanctions on Venezuela’s new Vice President Tareck El Aissami and accusing him of playing a major role in international drug trafficking. (snip) The U.S. is also sanctioning Samark Bello, a wealthy businessman connected to El Aissami who has held significant business interests in the U.S. The U.S. says Bello provided assistance or support to El Aissami’s trafficking activities.

A DEA agent has died in an apparent robbery attempt in Colombia, U.S. Ambassador Michael McKinley said Friday. Colombian authorities said the American agent was stabbed four times.