What links Hezbollah and Venezuela?
US Secretary of State says terrorist cells drawn to embattled South American country

Donald Trump’s administration has sought to ratchet up pressure on embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by claiming his regime supports Iranian-backed Hezbollah cells operating in his country.
Mike Pompeo told Fox Business: “People don’t recognise that Hezbollah has active cells. The Iranians are impacting the people of Venezuela and throughout South America. We have an obligation to take down that risk for America.”
Pompeo said the ongoing political and economic crisis risks turning the Latin American country into a no-man’s land, effectively controlled by Cuba, Russia and Iran.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The US has long considered Hezbollah a terrorist organisation and “sanctions on people in Venezuela linked to Hezbollah have been imposed as far back as the George W. Bush administration”, reports Jon Sharman for The Independent.
“Washington also believes Latin America has served as a base of fund-gathering for the group for some years, including through drugs and money-laundering schemes,” says Sharman.
Last month Fox News reported that “as Iran and Venezuela become increasingly isolated and sanctioned by the US and much of the international community, the two governments are said to be tightening their bond - with the help of Tehran's proxy group, Hezbollah, in the middle of the action.”
Venezuela’s former president Hugo Chavez formed tight links with Iran under Mahmoud Ahmedinejad in the 2000s and Fox claims that Iran and Hezbollah are said to provide “strategic advice” to the Venezuelan regime “for safe keeping”.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Right-wing US news site Breitbart adds that “under Maduro, Hezbollah, in particular, has established itself as a force in Latin America, dominating drug trafficking routes and using senior Maduro officials such as Minister of Industries and National Production Tareck El Aissami to expand recruitment efforts into the Western Hemisphere”.
Donald Trump became the first leader to formally recognise Venezuela’s national assembly president Juan Guaido as interim president in January. He has since been joined by EU leaders, while Russia and China continue to back Maduro.
The latest intervention by the US’ most senior diplomat is consistent with the administration’s increasingly hostile approach towards Iran.
Last year Trump reimposed sanctions on Tehran, in breach of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama, labelling the government “a murderous dictatorship that has continued to spread bloodshed, violence and chaos”.
-
Google avoids the worst in antitrust ruling
Speed Read A federal judge rejected the government's request to break up Google
-
Colleges are being overwhelmed with active shooter hoaxes
In the Spotlight More than a dozen colleges have reported active shooter prank calls
-
US kills 11 on 'drug-carrying boat' off Venezuela
Speed Read Trump claimed those killed in the strike were 'positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists' shipping drugs to the US
-
'Axis of upheaval': will China summit cement new world order?
Today's Big Question Xi calls on anti-US alliance to cooperate in new China-led global system – but fault lines remain
-
Disarming Hezbollah: Lebanon's risky mission
Talking Point Iran-backed militia has brought 'nothing but war, division and misery', but rooting them out for good is a daunting and dangerous task
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission
Speed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Iran still has enriched uranium, Israeli official says
Speed Read It remains unclear how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program following US and Israeli attacks
-
IAEA: Iran could enrich uranium 'within months'
Speed Read The chief United Nations nuclear inspector, Rafael Grossi, says Iran could be enriching uranium again soon
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024