US officially recognizes Maduro as a member of a foreign terrorist organization

The administration of the President of the United States Donald Trump may expand its powers to take action in Venezuela starting Monday, as Washington has recognized the country's dictator Nicolás Maduro and his allies in the government as members of a foreign terrorist organization. This was reported by the TV channel CNN.

Recognizing Maduro as a member of a terrorist organization will allow the United States to impose additional sanctions against the assets and logistics of his political regime. However, according to lawyers, this does not directly authorize the use of lethal force.

However, administration officials argue that this designation-one of the State Department's most serious tools for fighting terrorism-would provide expanded military capabilities to strike Venezuela.

Maduro has been linked to an extensive drug trafficking network in the Venezuelan military called the Cartel of the Suns. The country's dictator has always denied any personal involvement in drug trafficking, and his government has repeatedly denied the existence of this cartel, which, according to some experts, technically does not exist in the usual sense.

The journalists reminded that the United States has deployed two dozen ships and 15,000 troops in the region. Senior officials have briefed Trump on some options for action inside Venezuela, including strikes on military or government targets and special operations raids. However, the option of inaction also still exists, the article says.

Officially, the Trump administration says it is working to reduce the illegal flow of migrants and drugs, but regime change is a possible side effect of these efforts. According to an unnamed U.S. official, Trump hopes that the pressure will be enough to force Maduro to resign without taking direct military action.

The American president has expressed some openness to a diplomatic settlement, saying last week that Maduro "would like to talk" and later suggesting that he would be open to talking to him "at some point."

The White House did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment on the status of a potential conversation between Trump and Maduro.

• October 24, USA sent supersonic bombers B-1 to the coast of Venezuela.
• The next day, America sent a strike team with the newest and largest aircraft carrier to Latin America.
• On October 31, WP reported that Maduro, against the backdrop of the US military presence in the Caribbean, appealed to Russia, China and Iran to strengthen the country's "worn-out military potential".
• According to Reuters, on November 12 Venezuela planned to deploy weapons including outdated Russian equipment, to organize guerrilla resistance or wreak havoc in the event of a US air or ground attack.