In a bold move, President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he has authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations within Venezuela. This announcement came alongside discussions of potential land operations in the country, signaling a significant escalation in U.S. involvement in the region.
The confirmation of CIA operations follows a series of recent military strikes by the United States against alleged drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean. These operations have resulted in the destruction of at least five boats since early September, with a reported total of 27 casualties linked to these actions. Notably, four of these targeted vessels originated from Venezuela.
When pressed on the reasoning behind his authorization for CIA action in Venezuela, Trump stated, “I authorized for two reasons, really. No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America,” referencing concerns about the influx of prisoners and criminals crossing into the U.S. From there, he added, “And the other thing, the drugs, we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea.”
Trump emphasized that the administration is contemplating land operations, though he declined to clarify whether the CIA has the authority to take direct action against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
This revelation from Trump came shortly after The New York Times reported on the authorization for CIA operations, marking an unusual admission about covert actions in a foreign country.
In response to Trump’s statements, Nicolas Maduro vehemently condemned the actions of the U.S. and the history of the CIA. In a public address at the National Council for Sovereignty and Peace, he characterized U.S. interference as a pattern of disastrous interventions, declaring, “No to regime change that reminds us so much of the (overthrows) in the failed eternal wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and so on.”
Maduro also invoked painful historical examples, including the 30,000 individuals believed to have disappeared during Argentina’s military dictatorship, and condemned the CIA’s longstanding involvement in Latin America. He insisted, “Latin America doesn’t want them, doesn’t need them and repudiates them.”
Emphasizing a desire for peace over conflict, Maduro stated, “Not war, yes peace, not war. Is that how you would say it? Who speaks English? Not war, yes peace, the people of the United States, please. Please, please, please.”
The Foreign Ministry of Venezuela issued a strong condemnation of Trump’s remarks, labeling them as bellicose and a violation of international law. Foreign Minister Yván Gil expressed that the statements by the U.S. president warrant denunciation from the international community, calling for adherence to the principles of peace and stability in Venezuela.
This rise in tensions has not gone unnoticed within the U.S. Congress, where there has been significant backlash concerning Trump’s decisions.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration categorized drug cartels as unlawful combatants, thereby justifying military actions as escalations to combat drug trafficking. This declaration has raised alarms among lawmakers across both political parties who argue that Trump may be pursuing actions resembling acts of war without proper Congressional oversight or authorization.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, articulated her concerns in light of the administration’s decisions. She stated, “The Trump administration’s authorization of covert C.I.A. 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. The American people deserve to know if the administration is leading the U.S. into another conflict, putting servicemembers at risk or pursuing a regime-change operation.”
Despite the military’s actions against specific vessels, U.S. officials have yet to provide Congress with compelling evidence that would justify these strikes, leading to further dissatisfaction among lawmakers. Sources within the administration indicated that discussions have largely been based on unclassified information and social media images rather than hard evidence linking the targeted vessels to drug trafficking.
Lawmakers have expressed heightened frustrations regarding the level of detail provided by the administration regarding its stance on armed conflict with cartels, as well as which organizations are being classified as unlawful combatants.
While military strikes have been conducted, the U.S. Coast Guard continues its traditional methods of intercepting vessels and seizing contraband. It raises questions in connection to Trump’s assertions that an old approach has been ineffective.
Trump explained his rationale, stating, “Because we’ve been doing that for 30 years, and it has been totally ineffective. They have faster boats,” thereby supporting his administration’s drastic shift in strategy. He highlighted the capabilities of modern speedboats but insisted that they could not evade missile strikes.
The escalating military operations and the resulting international discourse have caused human rights organizations to voice grave concerns over potential violations of international laws and procedures regarding extrajudicial killings.
As developments unfold in this intense situation, it remains to be seen how both U.S. actions and Venezuela’s responses will shape the ongoing conflict in the region.
image source from：npr
