By Zoila Palma: The United States has removed Venezuela from its list of countries that have “failed demonstrably” to meet drug-control commitments, marking the first time in more than 20 years that Venezuela has been removed from the designation.
Today, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the decision in a presidential determination published by the State Department, saying the change reflects increased cooperation with Venezuela’s interim government.
Venezuela had been on the designation since 2005, Reuters report.
Trump attributed the change to what he described as increased cooperation between Washington and the interim government led by Delcy Rodríguez following the removal and arrest of former President Nicolás Maduro in January.
“I have determined Venezuela should no longer be designated as having failed demonstrably to fulfill its drug control commitments,” Trump said.
Colombia, meanwhile, remains under the “failed demonstrably” designation, although Trump said he could consider lifting it if the country makes progress in coca eradication and dismantling drug-trafficking networks over the next year.
The United States continues to classify Venezuela and Colombia, along with Belize, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru and other countries, as major drug-transit or illicit drug-producing countries.
The State Department’s annual determination lists 23 countries in that broader category, which is separate from the designation concerning whether a government has demonstrably failed to meet its counternarcotics commitments.
The post International News: US removes Venezuela from drug control failure list, Trump says appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: The United States has removed Venezuela from its list of countries that have “failed demonstrably” to meet drug-control commitments, marking the first time in more than 20 years that Venezuela has been removed from the designation. Today, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the decision in a presidential determination published by the State
The post International News: US removes Venezuela from drug control failure list, Trump says appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.