By Luc CohenNEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. pilot pleaded guilty on Tuesday to violating American sanctions by transporting former Venezuelan oil minister Tareck El Aissami, whom Washington accuses of drug trafficking. Victor Mones, who founded the Florida private jet firm, pleaded guilty in 2019 to violating sanctions. The United States sanctioned El Aissami in 2017, accusing him of helping arrange drug shipments out of Venezuela, including to the United States and Mexico, through his control of a Venezuelan airbase and shipping ports. The United States accuses Maduro of corruption, human rights violations and rigging elections, which he denies. El Aissami has denied wrongdoing.

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Persons: Luc Cohen NEW, Tareck El Aissami, Washington, Michols Orsini, Alvin Hellerstein, Orsini, Victor Mones, El Aissami, Mones, Nicolas Maduro, Luc Cohen, David Gregorio Organizations: Luc Cohen NEW YORK, U.S, U.S . Department of Homeland Security, El, El Aissami, United Locations: U.S, Manhattan, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Florida, El, United States, Mexico, Venezuelan, Washington, New York