On The Radar | US Drops Venezuela From Its Drugs Blacklist. Colombia Could Be Next

The United States has removed Venezuela from its list of major drug transit or illicit drug producing countries for fiscal year 2027, according to the White House. The decision comes after positive steps taken by interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who was praised for fulfilling her country's drug control commitments. The move is considered a reward for Rodríguez's government, as Venezuela has long been a major transit point for cocaine moving from South America to the United States and Europe.

However, InSight Crime investigations suggest that a significant portion of cocaine still passes through Venezuela's porous borders and extensive coastline before reaching U.S. and European consumers. Colombian President Iván Duque has expressed his country's readiness to resume its role as a key security partner in the region following the addition of Aberlardo de la Espriella to the presidency.

Meanwhile, Colombian-born businessman Alex Saab, once the alleged financial frontman of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, has pleaded guilty to money laundering in a Miami court. Saab is expected to cooperate with ongoing federal investigations, potentially providing valuable testimony against Maduro, who is currently awaiting trial in New York on charges of narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and weapons.

The U.S. government is also investigating criminal groups suspected of infiltrating land and environmental defender organizations. According to Global Witness, over a third of all cases of killing land and environmental defenders in 2025 involved organized crime or contract killers, with Colombia experiencing the highest number of such killings in Latin America.