Washington, Sep 17 (V7N)- US President Donald Trump has removed Venezuela from Washington's list of countries deemed to have "failed demonstrably" to meet international counternarcotics obligations, citing increased cooperation with the country's interim government.
The decision was announced in a presidential determination submitted to Congress on Wednesday (September 16). Reuters reported that Venezuela had been on the list for more than 20 years.
Trump credited what he described as positive steps under interim President Delcy Rodriguez and said his administration was seeing increased cooperation from Venezuela in efforts to combat drug-trafficking organizations.
The US decision comes amid closer cooperation between Washington and Caracas following the removal of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro earlier this year. Trump said the cooperation had produced results in efforts against criminal groups.
Despite being removed from the "failed demonstrably" category, Venezuela remains on the US government's separate list of major drug-transit or drug-producing countries.
The presidential determination continues to designate Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma and Colombia as countries that failed demonstrably to meet their counternarcotics obligations during the relevant period.
Trump has also indicated that the status of Colombia could be reconsidered if its new government makes sufficient progress in combating illicit drug production and trafficking.
The move marks a significant change in Washington's assessment of Venezuela's cooperation on counternarcotics issues and comes as the US and Venezuela continue to develop closer government and economic ties.
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