Justin Wise
The Trump administration is reportedly getting ready to add Venezuela to the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.
The Washington Post, citing U.S. officials and internal government emails, reported on Monday that the Trump administration is preparing to give Venezuela the designation.
The move would place Venezuela, a nation ruled by socialist leader Nicolas Maduro, on a list reserved for governments repeatedly accused of supporting “acts of international terrorism.”
The list consists of Iran, North Korea, Syria and Sudan.
The newspaper noted that U.S. officials would not say if a final decision had been made. But the Department of State has asked for feedback from various agencies about taking the step.
Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services reportedly assessed the impact that a terrorism designation could have on “HHS or [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] programming of funding being carried out by a third party in that country.”
A State Department spokesperson declined to comment to The Post.
The designation could limit U.S. assistance to the nation. In addition, it would prohibit financial transactions between the countries, according to The Post.
It would be the latest step the Trump administration has taken in regards to Venezuela. The U.s. has already imposed sanctions against multiple people with close ties to Maduro, including his wife and vice president.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the Venezuelan government. In September, he said it was “one of the truly bad places in the world” and did not rule out using military intervention in the country.
Earlier this year, Trump administration officials reportedly met with Venezuelan military officers to discuss a potential coup to overthrow Maduro.
At the time, the White House told The Hill that “U.S. policy preference for a peaceful, orderly return to democracy in Venezuela remains unchanged.”
Bron: The Hill