Venezuela promotes terrorism

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Some senators have contemplated the possibility of including Venezuela in the list of states that cooperate with terrorism. How admissible is this petition?

A Letter addressed to the White House

In the United States, a letter was revealed in which, clearly, urges Venezuela to be included in the list of countries that support terrorism. This list includes countries such as Nicaragua, Syria or Sudan.

Leer en español: Venezuela promueve el terrorismo

As reported by the newspaper ABC of Spain, the letter was headed by Senator Marco Rubio:

"A group of Republican senators, led by Marco Rubio, of Florida, has insistently pushed the White House and the State Department to make this decision imminently. In a letter addressed to the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and dated October 1, Rubio denounced that Venezuela "does not fully cooperate with the US in their efforts against terrorism"

Apparently, the famous letter describes that the government of Nicolas Maduro supports terrorist groups such as the FARC (still considered a terrorist group by the US), and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Read also: Do you know why Turkey's support for Iran can affect the United States?

What are the indexes does the US use to say that a country cooperates with terrorism?

The list of sponsoring countries of terrorism is designated by the Department of States of the United States and, according to this entity; the inclusion of a State in the aforementioned list is presented when "the State Department decides whether the accused government has repeatedly provided help to international terrorism.”

In other words, if the White House points out an international government of sponsoring terrorism, it must support it with convincing, forceful, repetitive and sustained evidence, because only with words or minor accusations is not enough.

It is at this point, where senators like Marco Rubio fall short, since he didn't provide conclusive evidence about Venezuela's aid to terrorism. Transcendental decisions like these cannot be taken lightly, since, by the severity of the economic sanctions imposed by the United States, a government can fall IGNORE INTO total ruin.

On the other hand, and as highlighted by El Confidencial, some North American organizations have rejected that this South American country is a sponsor of terrorism. According to this same means, the organization WOLA stated the following:

"I suspect that (the inclusion in the list) will be based on rumors and sources of questionable integrity," says David Smilde, a researcher at the Washington Office for Latin America (WOLA).

But, it is not the only voice against. El Confidencial  also recalled the time when a high command of the CIA denied the links of Venezuela with terrorism:

"The entire line (of connection) with Hezbollah has been distorted for political reasons by the most extreme figures of the American right"

What types of sanctions are imposed on friends of terrorism?

The sanctions are broad and remarkable. The US Department of State contemplates measures such as restrictions on exports and imports, non-trade of weapons material,  cutting economic aid,  freezing of international bank accounts, as well as the freezing of goods and services, among others.

LatinAmerican Post | Miguel Diaz

Translated from 'Venezuela ¿Es verdad que promueve el terrorismo?'