U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to carry out covert operations within Venezuela. He made the statement Wednesday evening during a press briefing at the White House.
According to reports, the decision followed a series of U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean Sea on vessels suspected of transporting narcotics. Since September, at least five boats have been destroyed, and 27 people have been killed — four of them reportedly originated from Venezuela.
Trump stated that Washington made the move for two key reasons.
“I sanctioned this for two reasons. First, they sent prisoners from their jails to the United States. Second, large quantities of drugs are coming from Venezuela to the U.S., most of which are transported by sea,” Trump said.
He added that his administration was “considering strikes on land as well,” signaling an escalation in Washington’s already tough stance on Caracas.
That same day, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared on national television to condemn the CIA’s actions and called for peace. He compared the agency’s “regime change operations” to the tragedies in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, declaring: “We say no to coups organized by the CIA!”
Maduro also recalled the 1973 Chilean coup, saying that Latin America does not need or want new conflicts.
The Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs released an official statement calling Trump’s remarks “provocative and dangerous.” “This statement violates international law and the UN Charter and must be firmly condemned by the global community,” the statement from Minister Iván Gil said.
Both U.S. political parties in Congress criticized the Trump administration’s military actions against Venezuelan drug cartels, accusing the president of launching a conflict without congressional approval.
Analysts believe the Trump administration aims to strengthen U.S. influence in Latin America by intensifying pressure on Venezuela. However, no official evidence has yet been presented proving that the destroyed boats actually carried narcotics.
Thus, tensions between Washington and Caracas have entered a new phase — a political standoff that could evolve into direct military confrontation.
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