It is about time the United States takes a serious look at adding Venezuela to the State Department’s list of states that sponsor terrorism.

Evidence and pressure to include Venezuela next to Iran, Syria, Cuba and Sudan are mounting.

Ten Republican senators on Monday urged adding the Chávez government to the list because of its to Colombia’s FARC rebels and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, reported AFP, the group said it was time for Venezuela to be added to the US list due to “evidence behind Venezuela’s substantial ties with US-designated terrorist organizations and state sponsors of terrorism.”

“I encourage the State Department to thoroughly evaluate Venezuela’s actions and determine if the country needs to be added to the official US list of state sponsors of terrorism,” said Florida Republican senator George LeMieux.

The letter was signed by senators George LeMieux, John Ensign, Robert Bennett, Scott Brown, Sam Brownback, Jim Bunning, John Cornyn, James Inhofe, Jon Kyl, John McCain, James Risch, and Roger Wicker.

Last week, The Washington Post reported that Venezuela facilitated training sessions in Machines, Venezuela, between the FARC guerrilla group and ETA, a Spanish terrorist group.

More information here:

May 25, 2010 letter from Republican Senator to US Department

Why the US should add Venezuela to the list (Heritage Foundation)