UPDATE - US, Venezuela Opposition Harp On Alleged Hezbollah Threat In S. America

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2019) Venezuelan opposition representative in the United States Carlos Vecchio and the Colombian ambassador raised the issue of terrorism with several US lawmakers during meetings in Washington, the envoy's press office said.

"Vecchio, and Ambassador of Colombia, Francisco Santos, raised before senators and representatives of the US Congress the threat that the criminal operation of terrorist groups as the ELN, the FARC and Hezbollah, all protected by Nicolas Maduro, represent for the region," the press release said on Thursday.

US Vice President Mike Pence, joining a recent deluge of similar comments from Washington, warned of Hezbollah's presence in Venezuela. Pence also took aim at Iran's foreign minister for daring to make a trip to the region.

"Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif's travel to Venezuela reminds us that Iran's destabilizing activities extend well beyond the middle East. Hezbollah remains active in the Western Hemisphere and Iran's malign influence poses a threat to security and democracy in the region," Pence said in a tweet on Thursday.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo begins a four-day trip to Latin America that will include stops in Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador and Mexico where he will discuss a range of topics including counterterrorism and the crisis in Venezuela.

During the trip, Pompeo will attend a ministerial being hosted in light of the 25th anniversary of the attack on the Mutual Israelite Association of Argentina (known by its acronym AMIA) community center in Buenos Aires. The 1994 attack killed 85 people and injured hundreds. Argentine prosecutors blamed the bombing on Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah, though both have denied involvement and refused to turn over suspects.

Last week, the United States imposed sanctions on Hezbollah internal security chief and two of the party's politicians, accusing them of being Iranian proxies.

Venezuela is experiencing a political-economic crisis that intensified in January after US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaimed himself interim president in a bid to oust President Nicolas Maduro. The United States recognized Guaido and started imposing sanctions on Venezuela and freezing billions of Dollars of Venezuela's assets.

Maduro has called Guaido a US puppet and accused the United States of orchestrating a coup in Venezuela to force a change of government and claim the country's vast natural resources.

Since May, the Maduro government and the opposition have been engaged in talks mediated by the Norwegian government.