The Trump administration will allegedly add Venezuela to its list of state sponsors of terrorism, The Washington Post reported, citing U.S. officials and internal government emails.
The move would put the nation alongside countries such as Iran, North Korea, Syria and Sudan, frequently accused of supporting “acts of international terrorism.” The decision is not final yet, but the Department of State has asked several agencies for feedback about taking the step.
The Post informs that Senator Marco Rubio led the lawmakers’ push for the designation, arguing that Venezuela had ties to Lebanese Hezbollah, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, and other terrorist groups. This is not the first time that GOP lawmakers have accused the country of sponsoring terrorism.
Experts, on the other hand, warn that giving such a designation to Venezuela without providing concrete evidence could weaken the legitimacy of the U.S. list, which critics claim is applied inconsistently.
“I suspect this will be based on hearsay and sources of questionable integrity,” said David Smilde, a senior fellow at the Washington Office on Latin America.
The terrorism designation could also affect negatively the U.S.’ ability to help the nation by limiting its assistance to it. It would also ban financial transactions between the U.S. and Venezuela.
Should the Trump administration give this designation to the country ruled by socialist leader Nicolas Maduro, it would be the latest such step in regards to the South American nation often criticized by President Donald Trump for being “one of the truly bad places in the world.”
The United States has already imposed sanctions against multiple people with close ties to Maduro, including his wife and vice president. U.S. officials have also reportedly discussed overthrowing Maduro with Venezuelan military officers, although the White House noted at the time that it would be carried out in a “peaceful, orderly” fashion to return the nation to democracy.
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