The following is an English translation of El Nacional's interview with AEI fellow Roger Noriega, who told the Venezuelan newpaper that its government is deeply involved in the drug trade but he has "never heard of a witness who is in a better position to bear witness to the criminal activities of dozens of officials in the highest levels of that government."

Talks begin tomorrow between the P5 + 1 (the five permanent U.N. Security Council members plus Germany) and Iran. Today, the P5+1 group is having a prep meeting. Talks with Iran are destined to fail, not because I want them to, but because every piece is in place for failure:

Iran is actively engaged in Latin America, building a clandestine network that presents a danger to US security and interests.

Merely monitoring Iran's foray into Latin America is the very least the United States must now do to frustrate Teheran's plans to threaten U.S. security and interests close to home.

If a narco-state or violent crackdown emerges in Venezuela, the White House will no longer be able to avert its attention from the mess or to ‘lead from behind.'

Please join us for a timely panel discussion on the state of freedom of expression in the Americas.

Merely monitoring Iran's foray into Latin America is not enough. The United States must find its way toward adopting new forward-leaning policies that will frustrate Tehran’s plans to threaten U.S. security and interests close to home.