In a significant shift in U.S. drug policy, Venezuela has been removed from the list of countries that Washington claims have not met international counternarcotics commitments. The decision comes as President Donald Trump acknowledged progress in Venezuela’s efforts against drug-trafficking organizations under interim President Delcy Rodríguez.

Venezuela, previously criticized for its counternarcotics shortcomings, now stands apart from countries that the U.S. government considers as failing to meet these international obligations. However, Colombia remains on the list, with the White House identifying it as one of four countries that have not made substantial efforts over the past year to fulfill such commitments.

President Trump has suggested that Colombia could also be removed from this list next year, contingent upon further improvements in combating cocaine production and drug-trafficking networks. The Colombian government has expressed its intention to tackle the entire drug-trafficking chain, including illicit crop cultivation, production facilities, and international networks.

This development underscores the U.S.’s ongoing focus on enhancing counternarcotics cooperation with Latin American countries. Both Venezuela and Colombia continue to be recognized by Washington as major drug-transit or illicit drug-producing countries for fiscal year 2027, albeit with Venezuela now acknowledged for its progress in the counternarcotics arena.