The president additionally designated the Venezuelan "regime" as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and charged government officials with exploiting oil revenues for personal enrichment and funding drug terrorism. This action further amplifies the pressure Trump has applied against Venezuela as Washington attempts to compel Maduro's departure and warns of potential military intervention if he refuses.

Should Trump intend to classify the Maduro government as a foreign terrorist organization – a designation legally implemented by the State Department rather than the White House – Venezuela would become the first country ever to receive such status. Venezuela's government is already "blocked," a measure Trump enacted during his first term that prohibits any US person or entity from conducting business with it, according to the report.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio has raised the prospect of the 63-year-old socialist leader relocating to the gas-rich emirate, which is facilitating negotiations, a senior Trump administration source disclosed to The Post.

Five administration officials – three serving and two former – told The Post they view the arrangement as plausible.

"Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE love to do stuff like this. It helps build chits with the US," an administration-connected source remarked to The Post. "All three compete against each other – in the region and for the ultimate affection of the US."

However, a source knowledgeable about Qatar's Venezuela mediation efforts insisted to The Post that Maduro is not seeking residences in Doha. Qatar's rulers previously facilitated a Trump-proposed peace framework between Israel and Hamas, and the emirate had been hosting senior Hamas figures before Israeli airstrikes in September targeted them for elimination.

"It is untrue that Maduro is fleeing to Qatar," this person stated, according to The Post.

Trump contacted Maduro last week demanding immediate resignation, with the embattled Venezuelan leader reportedly suggesting a power transfer to his vice president alongside comprehensive amnesty for himself and confederates, The Post learned.

The State Department declined to comment when contacted, according to The Post.

Last month, the Trump administration classified Maduro and his associates as foreign terrorist organization members, broadening US military authority for Venezuela operations, The Post reported. Rubio branded the purported Cartel de los Soles, allegedly commanded by Maduro, "responsible for terrorist violence."

The White House has invoked the terrorist classification to legitimize military operations against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in Caribbean waters, including a September 2 dual strike that eliminated survivors, according to The Post.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt justified the continuing boat operations – which have eliminated at least 80 individuals – by citing "self-defense to protect Americans and vital United States interests."

Trump convened Monday afternoon with Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and additional senior officials to evaluate subsequent actions against Maduro, The Post reported.

US officials are presently collecting intelligence to shape recommendations, with a determination anticipated later this week or early next week, according to The Post.

One prospect involves targeting suspected narcotics smugglers within Venezuela's territorial boundaries – extending 12 nautical miles from shore, The Post learned. Such operations would intensify political demands on Trump to obtain congressional war authorization, as legislators across party lines have already rejected the boat operations conducted without their approval.

Trump declared on October 23 he was preparing congressional notification of plans for land operations inside Venezuela, but has delayed while pursuing Maduro's negotiated resignation and departure, according to The Post.

During Tuesday's Cabinet session, Trump issued warnings about striking land-based Venezuelan narcotics traffickers – and indicated Colombian operators also face danger, The Post reported. "Anybody that's doing that and selling it into our country is subject to attack," Trump declared. "No, not just Venezuela."

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Machado (58) continues leading the opposition to Maduro from underground, almost completely disconnected from the world. The regime pinned false charges on her, her family members were forced to flee Maduro's terror, and hundreds of her supporters were thrown in prison. But María Corina Machado, the woman considered a symbol of the struggle for freedom and democracy in Venezuela, sounds confident in her cause and more determined than ever to successfully complete Venezuela's liberation mission.

"Venezuela's democratic movement today is stronger, more united, and more determined than ever. In 2023, millions of citizens chose me in historic primary elections – I received 93% of the votes. When I was banned from running, that same moral spirit rallied around Edmundo González Urrutia, who won the presidential election despite the harsh conditions rigged in the regime's favor. In the general election, he won more than 70% of the votes and defeated Maduro. We built a massive citizens' movement – an entire people united around the values of truth, justice, freedom, and dignity. We have one leadership and one goal – to restore our rights, return democracy, and see our children come home."

"Definitely. There are growing cracks in the military. The election reports we collected indicate that in polling stations located on military bases, most soldiers voted for opposition candidate González. The regime exercises particularly brutal terror on them – they and their families became victims of torture, disappearances, and crimes against humanity. They too support the transition to democracy, and they too are victims of Maduro's cruelty. Many of them are ready to stand with us when the moment arrives."

"Venezuelan communities outside the country are among the most educated and creative in the world. We're talking about almost a third of the country's population! They didn't leave because they gave up on Venezuela, but because they couldn't see a future under a system that destroyed every opportunity and under a regime that harmed all basic living conditions. And still, I tell them – even from afar, you continue to innovate, create, and represent the good in us. In the last election, we saw how your creative spirit and determination turned the process into one of the most impressive civilian initiatives in our history. Free Venezuela will call you to return – with your knowledge, experience, and passion – to build a country that rewards excellence and integrity. The day you return will be the rebirth of the Venezuela we dreamed of together. Your hearts never left. I dream of the day I'll stand on Simón Bolívar Bridge, the place from which I saw millions leaving, to welcome them on their return. The moment Maduro falls, hundreds of thousands will return, and then millions – doctors, engineers, teachers, and entrepreneurs."

Initially, when oil revenues were enormous, Chávez managed to buy loyalty through generous subsidies and social projects. But behind the social mask, an economic system was built that depended solely on oil, corrupt and inefficient. When world prices began falling, the economy collapsed. Instead of reforms, Chávez predictably chose to deepen suppression and blame the US and "global capitalism" for all troubles.

"Chávez's socialist doctrine was full of tempting but empty promises. He promised equality and turned all the people equally poor and equally humiliated. He nationalized several thousand companies, destroyed the productive economy, and demolished the education system and social services to rule through poverty and ignorance. Today, most children in Venezuela don't regularly attend school, pensions are worth less than a dollar a month, and the country is ruled by crime organizations and militias. Chávez and Maduro allied with the West's enemies – Russia, Iran, China, and Islamic terror organizations – and turned the country into a link in a hidden network of dictatorships and international crime. This wasn't a random mistake; it was intentional planning to destroy the republic and turn citizens into slaves."

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Trump's suggestion that his administration was evaluating Venezuelan territory strikes represented a substantial advancement beyond recent Caribbean boat attacks that killed 27 people, which Democratic lawmakers and United Nations specialists vigorously criticized as international law violations, according to The Guardian. "No to war in the Caribbean … no to regime change … no to coups d'état orchestrated by the CIA," Maduro stated during an address to a committee established after Washington deployed Caribbean naval vessels for claimed anti-narcotics operations, The Guardian reported.

The president's CIA remarks verified earlier New York Times reporting about classified directives concerning clandestine Venezuela operations, with Trump stating his administration evaluated land-based options while refusing to clarify whether the CIA possessed Maduro elimination authorization, according to The Guardian. Trump defended intervention by reiterating unsubstantiated assertions that Venezuela released prisoners, including mental health facility inmates, into America and transported substantial drug quantities by sea, claims specialists have consistently questioned, The Guardian reported.

Earlier this month administration's declaration that America entered "armed conflict" with drug cartels triggered congressional anger from both major parties, with members arguing Trump effectively committed war acts without seeking authorization, according to The Guardian. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, ranking Democratic member on Senate foreign relations committee, stated Wednesday that while supporting trafficking crackdowns, the administration exceeded boundaries: "The Trump administration's authorization of covert CIA action, conducting lethal strikes on boats and hinting at land operations in Venezuela slides the United States closer to outright conflict with no transparency, oversight or apparent guardrails," Shaheen stated, according to The Guardian. "The American people deserve to know if the administration is leading the US into another conflict, putting servicemembers at risk, or pursuing a regime-change operation."

Following another boat strike, Maduro ordered military exercises in Venezuela's largest shantytown on Wednesday and mobilized military, police, and civilian militia to defend the nation's "mountains, coasts, schools, hospitals, factories and markets," The Guardian reported. Trump characterized victims as "narcoterrorists" without evidence and claimed strikes targeted Tren de Aragua gang members, assertions the White House has not substantiated, according to The Guardian.

UN specialists stated in September that vessel strikes violated international law, with a Democratic congressman declaring attacks constituted "illegal killings" that "wouldn't stand up in a single court of law," The Guardian reported. Earlier this year, the Trump administration cited an unverified Tren de Aragua affiliation to expedite Venezuelan deportations to the notorious El Salvador prison, while Trump advocated terminating temporary legal status for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans and accused Maduro of leading a drug cartel, charges the leader denies, with Washington doubling the capture bounty to $50 million in August, according to The Guardian.

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Both actions, and especially the latter, threatened to split the movement that promised to end America's "endless wars." But now it appears the president is preparing the ground for a third use of force, and this time, much closer to home.

Paper tigers

Since the beginning of last month, more and more reports have emerged about a secret directive Trump signed instructing the Pentagon, or by its new name, the Department of War, to prepare for military action against drug cartels in Latin America. Now it seems the blue arrows on US operations-room maps are pointing toward Venezuela.

In recent weeks the US Navy has concentrated warships, a nuclear submarine, cruisers, destroyers and even landing ships, a threatening hint of a readiness for an invasion that is still hard to see on the horizon. At the center of the force stands the amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima with thousands of Marines on board, whose primary role is to support an amphibious operation. At the same time F-35s, drones and Osprey helicopters that are used to land special forces were deployed to Puerto Rico.

On September 2, the first use of force took place: US forces attacked a small boat accused of drug smuggling. "We blew them up," the president said of the strike that the administration claimed killed 11 drug traffickers. Two days later Venezuelan fighter jets flew low over a US ship. The Pentagon called that "an extreme provocation."

On Monday Trump announced on his Truth Social account another strike on a small vessel carrying three people. As in the previous strike he posted video showing the small boat exploding. "These most violent drug cartels pose a threat to US national security, our foreign policy and our vital interests," he wrote.

For many years Venezuela has been a failed state. About 8 million refugees, a quarter of the population, have fled the country since 2014, when President Nicolás Maduro began repressing the opposition and refused to accept the voters' verdict. Migration routes came to be littered with paper creations, made from worthless bolívar banknotes that refugees carried while fleeing a state that collapsed under Maduro's and his predecessor Hugo Chávez's "socialism."

The regime rests on a narrow core: military officers who control state companies, police and members of the colectivos - armed street gangs. Those outside that circle live in poverty or flee, while an electoral fraud in 2024 crushed what remained of the opposition and sent it into exile or underground. "This is a classic repressive state, like Russia or Iran," says Dr. Ben-Zion Telefus of Bar-Ilan University, an expert on the politics of the drug war and host of The Stray Weed podcast.

"If we are attacked, we will enter into armed conflict," Maduro threatened, calling the US deployment "the greatest threat on the continent in 100 years." Bombastic propaganda videos about "mobilizing popular militias" intended to stop the Americans mostly feature state workers and pensioners who depend on participating in Maduro's staged rallies, and in recent weeks Maduro has taken to wearing military uniforms.

The Trump administration links Maduro to drug trafficking, mainly through the gang Tren de Aragua and by branding the Caracas regime as the Cartel of the Suns, a play on the army rank insignia that resemble suns, allegedly running a drug trafficking network from within state mechanisms. That labeling was also the rationale offered for doubling the bounty on Maduro's head to $50 million.

Tren de Aragua, which Trump has designated a terrorist organization, is a gang that built its power inside the Tocorón prison in Venezuela, where authorities allowed its leaders to run the facility in exchange for maintaining order. In May 2023 the prison was dismantled in a publicized operation. "The dismantling actually increased their strength; they had to find new sources of income and began to spread through South, Central and North America," says Dr. Telefus. According to him, the gang found revenue streams based on the same network of refugees who fled Venezuela: extortion, cross-border smuggling, human trafficking, and drugs.

A perfect fit

So why is Venezuela specifically in the sights?

There are several reasons to believe Washington will soon begin striking targets on Venezuelan soil, actions that make a war with it fit the White House like a glove. "What you are seeing now is not training," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a visit to the Iwo Jima off the coast of Puerto Rico. "This is a real mission for the vital interests of the US, to end the poisoning of the American people."

The US War on Drugs did not start with Trump, but under his presidency it takes on a meaning tied to the administration's raison d'etre: protecting the American middle class, whose livelihoods allegedly were stolen by globalist interests, whose dignity and beliefs are harmed and cancelled by woke culture and drug traffickers, with the Chinese and pharmaceutical companies supposedly conspiring to kill Trump and his loved ones for profit. Those are central enemies of MAGA, and the war on them is America First.

Conveniently for the much-maligned neoconservatives, who were pushed out of the Republican mainstream, a confrontation with the Maduro regime achieves a "classic" objective: reestablishing American dominance in the Western Hemisphere, the regional backyard, and fighting communism. It appears Marco Rubio, secretary of state and national security adviser whose influence has been growing, is leading the move. Besides being a remnant of the pre-Trump Republican Party, and the son of Cuban refugees, he sees socialist regimes in Latin America as a strategic and moral threat.

But will a war in Venezuela reduce drug trafficking? "Trump is focused on supply-side measures, which historically have proven to be the least productive," says Telefus. "This administration has no coherent policy that connects means to ends. Fentanyl is mainly illicitly manufactured in Mexico with precursors from China. Venezuela provides mostly cocaine, and even that in negligible quantities."

Iranian advisers assist Maduro

The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated Maduro's forces at roughly 123,000 soldiers, 220,000 militia members and 8,000 reservists. The Venezuelan military holds a mix of Western and non-Western weapons systems: fighter jets bought from the US in the 1980s alongside Russian aircraft and missiles.

An interesting aspect is the relationship between Maduro's regime and Iran, which goes beyond mutual moral support between two states isolated by what they call "American imperialism." It is a relationship with significant military aspects; for example in 2022 then-defense minister Benny Gantz revealed that Iran had transferred to Maduro technologies for producing Mohajer-6 drones on Venezuelan soil and the appropriate armaments.

Dani Sitrinovich, former head of the Iran branch in AMAN's research division and a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, explains that the connection between the countries is much deeper. "Venezuela is effectively Iran's primary operational hub in Latin America," he says. "Iran has economic, security and political interests in Venezuela. All the assistance it provides to the Venezuelans, from missile boats to establishing a drone production facility, serves those interests."

According to Sitrinovich, "Iran uses that presence as a certain threat for a theoretical day of reckoning when it would need access to a point within reach of the continental US. It very much wants to keep that influence. There are Iranian advisers who could assist the Maduro regime and its military."

The fall of Maduro, a scenario that currently seems distant, could lead to improved relations between Venezuela, the US and Israel, and severely damage Iran's foothold in Latin America.

The American threat has also produced a series of high-level discussions between the leaders of the last country the US attacked and the one that appears next in line. Last week Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, spoke with Maduro.

Hopes that the punitive blows the Iranian regime sustained would lead to its downfall have so far faded, but it may be that Venezuela will be an easier target for a quick American victory, even without an ambitious US invasion.

"You do not have to invade Venezuela to depose Maduro," explains Dr. Telefus. "The best way is to change the calculations of senior Venezuelan officers, who hold the state." According to Telefus, if enough generals are convinced that Maduro's days are numbered and receive guarantees for their security and status, they may agree "to get rid of Maduro" and craft a path to regime change.

"The Trump administration is very focused on optics. It can say 'look, I'm attacking those who poison the US. You don't have to occupy the country, just remove the person," Telefus concludes. If we choose an image from the president's world, Venezuela offers a very attractive value for money - and that is what makes it, in all likelihood, the administration's current target.

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The directive is meant to officially legitimize the potential for military operations, including overseas in foreign countries, targeting the cartels. It marks Trump's most aggressive move yet in the administration's escalating campaign against drug-trafficking organizations, in an effort to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs into the US.

Military action plans in the works

Senior US military officials have already begun formulating plans for how the armed forces could take action against the criminal groups, according to people familiar with the confidential discussions.

However, The New York Times noted that using the military in narcotics operations abroad raises legal concerns, for example, whether it would be considered murder if US troops operating outside the country were to kill civilians, even suspected criminals, who did not pose an immediate threat.

At this stage, it remains unclear how, or whether, the legal teams at the White House, Pentagon, and State Department have responded to the directive, or whether the Justice Department's legal counsel has issued an opinion on the matter.

Earlier this year, Trump deployed National Guard troops and other forces to the southwestern border to clamp down on drug trafficking, and illegal immigration, while ramping up surveillance efforts. Upon returning to office in January, he signed an executive order instructing the State Department to begin designating drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

In February, the State Department designated "Tren de Aragua," "Mara Salvatrucha" (also known as MS-13), and several similar groups as terrorist organizations, stating they pose "a national security threat, beyond that posed by 'traditional' criminal organizations."

Hunting Maduro 

Two weeks ago, the Trump administration added Venezuela's "Cartel de los Soles", the "Cartel of the Suns", to a list of international terrorist groups receiving "special attention," alleging it is led by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and other senior figures in his regime.

On Thursday, the US Justice and State Departments announced the government was doubling the reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to $50 million. He has been indicted on drug trafficking charges. The administration again described him as the head of a cartel, and Attorney General Pam Bondi said he "will not escape justice and will be held accountable for his heinous crimes."

Asked about Trump's authorization of military force against the cartels, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: "President Trump's top priority is protecting the homeland. That's why he took the bold step of targeting several cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations."

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In a dramatic turn of events following Venezuela's recent presidential election, President Nicolás Maduro has leveled accusations against his opposition and foreign entities, claiming they are attempting to undermine his declared victory. This development comes as international observers and governments express serious doubts about the legitimacy of the electoral process.

Naturally, Venezuela's Maduro is an antisemite too. pic.twitter.com/Y2Mrqon1fh

— Rev. Johnnie Moore ن (@JohnnieM) August 4, 2024

 According to reporting by The Washington Post, Venezuela's opposition has published election results that suggest Maduro lost his bid for another term by a significant margin. These unofficial tallies, based on more than 23,000 precinct-level tally sheets representing nearly 80 percent of voting machines nationwide, suggest that opposition candidate Edmundo González likely received more than twice as many votes as President Maduro. This conclusion aligns with independent exit polling and similar analyses conducted by other organizations.

Nevertheless, Venezuela's national electoral council declared Maduro the winner with nearly 52 percent of the vote compared to González's 43 percent. However, the council has yet to release precinct-level results to support this claim, a requirement under Venezuelan law.

At a press conference on Saturday, Maduro blamed what he termed the "extremist right" for the unrest that has swept the country since the disputed election. He accused these groups of being "supported by international Zionism." He alleged that Jews were manipulating social networks, media outlets, and even satellite technology in an attempt to "steal the presidential election" from his socialist government, wrote The Sun.

The accusations come amid widespread protests and growing international condemnation of the election process. Many governments and international organizations have criticized the vote as fraudulent.

Venezuelans running for their lives as Maduro's military attack protesters.

This is awful. Pray for the Venezuelans who just want fair elections and freedom.

pic.twitter.com/1K6fqgNwFM

— Paul A. Szypula (@Bubblebathgirl) August 4, 2024

 The opposition's published results were compiled with the assistance of thousands of volunteer poll watchers who collected and scanned tally sheets printed by electronic voting machines at polling centers across the country. Independent analyses and on-the-ground verification efforts have corroborated the authenticity of the tally sheets.

As the political crisis deepens, international pressure is mounting on President Maduro to negotiate a peaceful resolution. The United States has rejected Maduro's claim of victory, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken stating that it is "clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia won the most votes" in the election.

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A group of hackers in Venezuela by the name of Team HDP have broken into the country's Directorate General of Military Counterintelligence. Once inside the database, the hackers gained access to information on purported Hezbollah operatives living freely in the country under the protection of President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government.

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For years, Western intelligence organizations have warned of the presence of international terrorist organizations on Venezuelan soil. One of Iran's greatest allies in South America, Venezuela is known as a diplomatic refuge for terrorists and local guerilla fighters. Even Petroleum Minister and former Venezuelan Vice President Tareck El Aissami has been tied to the Lebanese terrorist group.

In 2017, the US Treasury Department sanctioned El Aissami over money laundering and facilitating the drug trade. Two years later, in 2019, he was put on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Most Wanted List.

The hackers emphasized the operation was carried out in cooperation with former state intelligence officials. They revealed the terrorists had entered the country as Spanish-language students under the cover of "government language studies programs" via Margarita Island, a member of the hacking ring explained to Israel Hayom.

The operatives appear to be involved in arms and drug trafficking as well as money laundering to finance terror.

Many of the operatives are members of the Maklad family, originally from the Druze village of As-Suwayda, near the Jordanian border in southwestern Syria.

Jalal Maklad, for example, is described as "involved in the cocaine trade and the trafficking of strategic minerals and international terror financing." He is said to reside in the Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta.

Another operative, Rabi Maklad, is involved in the cocaine and strategic mineral trade, the trafficking of women and minors, and money laundering to finance terrorism. According to the report, he "is one of the organized crime heads with trade ties in Columbia."

Majdi Maklad is involved in the cocaine trade and weapons and ammunition trafficking.

Hayyan al-Matthani, another operative that appears in the database, is active in the Druze community and resides in Nueva Esparta. He has been involved in similar crimes as well as the trade of weapons and ammunition with the British Virgin Islands and Dutch islands in the Caribbean.

A source on Margarita Island claimed to know some of the individuals in the report personally. He said active agents in the military intelligence had a hand in leaking the report.

"The Maklad Family has lived there for four generations, but the ties to Hezbollah were forged not long ago," the source said.

"They are the sole owners of the local airport in Santiago Marinho," the source continued, "and they have direct ties to Petroleum Minister El Aissami. They are very protected and they don't get off the island. It's their kingdom, and they have immunity," he explained.

Tehran and Caracas maintain close ties. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian recently announced the two countries would soon sign a 20-year strategic agreement. An Iranian-flagged oil tanker carrying 2 million barrels of heavy crude provided by Venezuelan state-run oil firm PDVSA departed the South American country last week.

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"It is public knowledge that several members of the military have been arrested after smuggling uranium from Venezuela, and we believe Iran is one of the main destinations," would-be Venezuelan leader Juan Guaido, told Israel Hayom over the weekend in an exclusive interview.

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Guaido discussed his fears of being arrested by the regime of President Nicolas Maduro, sounded the alarm over Iran's infiltration of the hit country, and also delivered a message to Jerusalem.

It stands to reason that the conversation with the 37-year-old Guaido occurred under the watchful eye of a local intelligence agency, now a routine part of life for the man who emerged to spearhead the fight against the Maduro regime and the United Socialist Party, yet another failed model of the populistic socialism that has gripped the country since 1999.

Some two years ago, after being chosen as the President of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Guaido rose to international prominence as the great new hope for his country. The people believed he possessed the key to changing the regime, which indeed brutalizes those oppose it with arrests, torture, and even executions.

The masses answered his calls and took to the streets, armed with the expectation and hope that the turning point was just around the corner. Even the international community recognized Guaido as the country's interim president, including the European Union, United States, and Israel.

Now, the picture is completely different. The excitement has waned with time, international support has become ephemeral – even the EU stopped recognizing him as interim president – with only one thing remaining constant: Maduro and Chavezism.

"The Maduro regime has become a crime syndicate, while importing oil from Iran. At present, a preliminary investigation exists into uranium stockpiles in Venezuela and the countries to which this material could be sent," Guaido reveals from his residence in the capital, Caracas. "There is a large reservoir of uranium in Venezuela that is smuggled from the country somehow, through illegal channels."

The South American country has maintained close relations with Iran for years now, amid persisting rumors of cooperation with neighboring countries in the field of nuclear energy.

Describing the early stages of Iran's foothold in Venezuela, Guaido says, "The Maduro dictatorship allowed Iran to enter. It started when [former President Hugo] Chavez began welcoming companies under sanctions by the US and other countries."

In January 2019, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recognized Guaido as the country's official leader, which remains Israel's official position to this day.

Chavez severed relations between Israel and Venezuela in 2009 in the wake of the IDF's Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip.

Today, Guaido is grateful and has a message for Jerusalem: "The government of Israel provides important diplomatic support in the war against the dictatorship," he said.

Opposition members in Venezuela are in constant danger. Their lives are at the mercy of the "dictator," as Guaido refers to Maduro. The United Nations has accused his regime of crimes against humanity. Guaido, for his part, is making efforts to win back international support.

He recently discussed with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken possible paths to "democracy and holding free elections," but it still isn't clear what position the Biden administration will take in terms of the humanitarian problem in Venezuela.

Asked about the looming threat of arrest hanging over his head, Guaido said he was aware of the peril but continues to be sure of his path and principles.

"The dictatorship's threats exist, and it operates this way because the people don't support it and it doesn't have much support in the international community," he explained.

"Venezuela's only alternative is free elections and allowing a process for a legitimate government," Guaido concludes.

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The civil-forfeiture complaint filed late Wednesday in the District of Columbia federal court alleges that the sale was arranged by a businessman, Mahmoud Madanipour, with ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, a US-designated foreign terrorist organization.

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"The profits from these activities support the IRGC's full range of nefarious activities, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, support for terrorism, and a variety of human rights abuses, at home and abroad," prosecutor Zia Faruqui alleges in the complaint.

Alireza Miryousefi, a spokesman for the Iranian mission to the United Nations, said any attempt by the US to prevent Iran's lawful trading with any country of its choosing would be an act of "piracy, pure and simple."

"This is a direct threat to international peace and security and in contravention of international law including the UN Charter," he said in a statement.

The Trump administration has been stepping up pressure on ship owners to abide by sanctions against US adversaries like Iran, Venezuela, and North Korea. In May, it issued an advisory urging the global maritime industry to be on the lookout for tactics to evade sanctions like dangerous ship-to-ship transfers and the turning off of mandatory tracking devices – both techniques used in recent oil deliveries to and from both Iran and Venezuela.

The campaign appears to be working.

On Thursday, the US Treasury Department lifted sanctions on eight vessels that were recently found to have transported Venezuelan crude oil. The move followed an attempted auction Wednesday by federal marshals in Houston of 100,000 barrels of gasoline seized from a Greek-managed ship whose owner suspected the cargo was heading toward Venezuela. None of the five parties at the auction agreed to the minimum $2.5 million bid.

As commercial traders increasingly shun Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro's socialist government has been increasingly turning to Iran.

In May, Maduro celebrated the arrival of five Iranian tankers delivering badly needed fuel supplies to alleviate shortages that have led to days-long gas lines even in the capital, Caracas, which is normally spared such hardships. Despite sitting atop the world's largest crude reserves, Venezuela doesn't produce enough domestically-refined gasoline and has seen its overall crude production plunge to the lowest in over seven decades amid the ongoing crisis and fallout from US sanctions.

We are "two rebel nations, two revolutionary nations that will never kneel down before US imperialism," Maduro said at the time. "Venezuela has friends in this world, and brave friends at that."

The flotilla's arrival angered the Trump administration, which struck back by sanctioning the five Iranian captains of the vessels.

The four tankers named in the complaint filed Wednesday – the Bella, Bering, Pandi, and Luna – are currently transporting to Venezuela 1.1 million barrels of gasoline obtained via risky ship-to-ship transfers, prosecutors allege. Of the four, the Bella is currently sailing near the Philippines, ship tracking data shows, while the Pandi appears to have turned off its satellite tracking system on June 29 after having spent two weeks between Iran and the UAE. The other two were last spotted in May – the Bering near Greece and the Luna sailing between Oman and Iran.

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One of the companies involved in the shipment to Venezuela, the Avantgarde Group, was previously linked to the Revolutionary Guard and attempts to evade US sanctions, according to prosecutors. An affiliate of Avantgarde facilitated the purchase for the Revolutionary Guard of the Grace 1, a ship seized last year by Britain on US accusations that it was transporting oil to Syria.

Iran denied the charges and the Grace 1 was eventually released. But the seizure nonetheless triggered an international standoff in which Iran retaliated by seizing a British-flagged vessel.

According to the asset forfeiture complaint, an unnamed company in February invoiced Avantgarde for a $14.9 million cash payment for the sale of the gasoline aboard the Pandi. Nonetheless, a text message between Mandanipour and an unnamed co-conspirator suggests the voyage had encountered difficulties.

"The ship owner doesn't want to go because of the American threat, but we want him to go, and we even agreed We will also buy the ship," according to the message, an excerpt of which was included in the complaint.

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