The Trump administration has spent the last two years making up for two full terms of the Obama administration’s naive optimism in Venezuela. Trump officials have named Venezuela as one of three Latin American totalitarian regimes; sanctioned Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, his wife, and others in his inner circle; called on the regime to release its political prisoners and hold free and fair elections; and authorized sanctions on its gold sector.

Now the administration is reportedly considering another option: designating Venezuela as a state sponsor of terrorism. The designation has been used by successive administrations to call out regimes that repeatedly support international terrorism—directly funding terror groups, providing terrorists with safe haven, or turning a blind eye to terror activities. In some cases, like that of Iran, terror support is open and aggressive. In Venezuela’s case it is less transparent but no less real.