US removes Venezuela from list of drug transit, production countries

What the report says

The Trump administration has removed Venezuela from the US list of major drug transit and production countries, according to Al Jazeera’s report published on 16 September 2026. The move was presented as part of a broader reassessment of narcotics cooperation in Latin America and comes as Washington says it is seeing improved coordination with Venezuela’s interim government against cartels.

In a statement to Congress, Trump credited the change to the arrest and removal of Nicolas Maduro, whom he described as a former illegitimate leader and drug trafficker. The report says the administration has been working with interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, including on oil-related agreements that would allow US companies greater access to the country’s resources. Under US law, the president must annually report on countries’ efforts to fight drug trafficking and production.

Al Jazeera reported that Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma and Colombia were still designated as having “failed demonstrably,” even as the administration signaled possible future changes for Colombia and Bolivia. Trump said recent political shifts in South America have opened the door to closer US cooperation with governments in the region.

The decision matters because being on the list can affect US policy and limits some forms of financial assistance. The report also noted that several Latin American governments have aligned more closely with Washington and joined the US-led Shield of the Americas security initiative.