Iran – and by extension its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – along with Lebanon’s Hezbollah have established a “foothold” in Venezuela, US State Secretary Marco Rubio said in remarks published Tuesday, amid ongoing tensions with Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
“They also happen to be the foothold of Iran and that is not spoken about enough,” Rubio said. “Iran, its IRGC and even Hezbollah, has a presence in South America and one of their anchor presence, especially for the Iranians, is inside of Venezuela.”
Rubio’s comments in an interview with Fox News came at the height of President Donald Trump’s efforts to reduce the inflow of narcotics from Latin America and months into US strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific Ocean, exerting pressure on Venezuela.
“Where they have planted their flag in our hemisphere is on Venezuelan territory with the full and open cooperation of that regime,” Rubio said.
“The fact that Maduro feels threatened by the presence of US assets in the region and counter drug mission, proves he’s into the drug business.”
In recent months, the US has stepped up the pressure with anti-drug trafficking campaign targeted towards Maduro, whom the US seems as illegitimate.
It has deployed an aircraft carrier group and numerous other assets in the Caribbean.
Maduro sees the US moves as an attempt to topple his regime.
Iran is an ally of the leftist regime and has recently condemned the US pressure on Venezuela with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi calling it a “bullying approach.”
The governments of both countries are under US sanctions and in 2022 they signed a 20-year cooperation plan in Tehran, pledging partnership on oil, defense and other issues.
Hezbollah’s influence
As for Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese group, it has for long been seen to have a presence in South America, with operatives that help secure finances for the militant group.
In October, the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control held a hearing to address this matter.
The Chairman, Senator John Cornyn, claimed in his statement at the time that “Hezbollah has found a home in Venezuela…where the [Hugo] Chávez and Maduro regimes have developed close ties with Iran and Hezbollah,” also expressing concern that Venezuelan passports were issued to Hezbollah members.
“Its activities in Latin America are chiefly focused on raising funds for its terrorist operations in the Middle East and elsewhere,” Cornyn said, adding that the group might be on the look to “to further expand its Latin American drug trafficking and money laundering networks” in light of the recent setbacks that Iran and the group have faced.
