US Removes Venezuela from Drug Failure List, Hints at Colombia Next

The United States has removed Venezuela from its list of countries that have "failed demonstrably" to meet international counternarcotics obligations, marking a significant shift in diplomatic relations following the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro. The decision, announced on September 16, 2026, as part of the annual presidential determination, cites growing cooperation with Venezuela's interim government under President Delcy Rodríguez. Venezuela, which had been on the "failed demonstrably" list since 2005, remains on the broader list of major drug transit or major illicit drug producing countries. The U.S. identified Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, and Colombia as countries that failed to make substantial efforts to combat drug trafficking in the past year. President Donald Trump credited the improvement to cooperation with Rodríguez's government since Maduro's arrest in January 2026.