Honduras designates Lebanon’s Hezbollah a terrorist organisation

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido joined leaders from US and Latin America in Colombia on Monday to discuss counter-terrorism

FILE PHOTO: Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, ride in a vehicle decorated with Hezbollah and Lebanese flags and a picture of him, as part of a convoy in the southern village of Kfar Kila, Lebanon October 25, 2019. REUTERS/Aziz Taher/File Photo
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The Honduran government has formally declared Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah a terrorist organisation, the country's deputy security minister said on Monday.

Honduras "will include it in the registry of persons and institutions linked to acts of terrorism and its financing", Luis Suazo said.

Hezbollah, a Shiite militia, has also been designated a terrorist organisation by the US and British governments.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on Monday joined leaders from the US and Latin America in condemning President Nicolas Maduro as a promoter of terrorism.

Mr Guaido, who was visiting Colombia for a counter-terrorism conference in Bogota, is recognised by the US and almost 60 other countries as Venezuela’s rightful president.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was at the summit.

Mr Guaido is expected to use the meeting to highlight links between the Maduro government and militants such as Hezbollah as he campaigns to become Venezuela’s leader.

Last week, Guatemala's new president, Alejandro Giammattei, also indicated that he would label Hezbollah a terrorist group and keep his country's embassy to Israel in Jerusalem.

Both moves aligned Guatemala's foreign policy more closely with that of US President Donald Trump.