Top US Diplomat Praises South American Nations for Blacklisting Hizbullah

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has praised this week’s decision by three South American countries to blacklist Hizbullah, while accusing Venezuela of supporting the Lebanon-based Iranian proxy. “We applaud the announcements of Colombia, Honduras and Guatemala to designate Iran-backed [Hizbullah] a terrorist organization,” the top US diplomat tweeted. “It and other transnational terrorist groups remain active in the [Americas]. The US continues to rally international support to counter these threats.” Pompeo, who is attending a counter-terrorism conference in Colombia, called it “unacceptable” that Hizbullah had “found a home” in Venezuela under embattled socialist President Nicolas Maduro. The secretary of state’s comments came as he was meeting with Venezuelan opposition head Juan Guaido, who is recognized by the US and dozens of other nations as the country’s leader. Hizbullah has been proscribed by the US, United Kingdom, Canada and the Arab League, whereas the European Union continues to bifurcate between the group’s “political” and “military” wings, with the latter’s activities having been outlawed.