Trump says he authorised CIA in Venezuela as Maduro says ‘no to regime change’
US President Donald Trump confirmed a report that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, sparking outrage from the South American country’s leaders.
US forces have launched at least five attacks on boats suspected of carrying drugs in the Caribbean in recent weeks, leaving 27 people dead. UN-appointed human rights experts described the raids as “extrajudicial killings”.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said the US was “looking onshore” as it considers further attacks on drug cartels in the region.
Nicolas Maduro, whose legitimacy as Venezuela’s president has been debated internationally following last year’s controversial elections, called for peace with the United States on television.
The increased US military presence in the region has increased fears of a possible attack in Caracas.
According to the New York Times, Trump’s authorization will allow the CIA to conduct operations in Venezuela unilaterally or as part of broader US military activities.
It is not known whether the CIA was planning operations in Venezuela or whether those plans were being reserved as a contingency, but the spy agency has a long history of activity in South America.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday alongside FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump was grilled about the New York Times report.
“Why did you authorize the CIA to enter Venezuela?” a journalist asked.
“I actually authorized it for two reasons,” Trump said, in a highly unusual admission by a U.S. commander in chief about an intelligence agency whose activities are often shrouded in secrecy.
“First, they [Venezuela] They emptied their prisons into the United States.”
He added: “And the other thing is drugs. We have a lot of drugs coming from Venezuela, and most Venezuelan drugs come by sea, so you see that, but we will also stop them by land.”
Venezuela plays a relatively minor role in the region’s drug trade. The president will remain undecided on whether the CIA’s aim is to oust Maduro, for whom the US has offered a $50m (£37m) bounty.
“Wouldn’t that be a stupid question for me to answer?” he said.
In the latest attack carried out by the USA on Tuesday, six people lost their lives as a result of targeting a boat near the coast of Venezuela.
On Truth Social, Trump said “intelligence confirmed that the ship was smuggling drugs, was affiliated with illicit narco-terrorist networks, and was traveling along a known drug trafficking corridor.”
As in previous attacks, US officials did not identify the alleged drug trafficking organization operating the ship or the identities of those on board.
Maduro appeared on the airwaves Wednesday night to warn against escalating tensions.
“No to regime change that reminds us of endless, unsuccessful wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and similar places,” the socialist leader said.
“No to coups planned by the CIA.”
He added: “Listen to me, no to war, yes to peace, people of the United States.”
Earlier in the day, Maduro ordered military drills in the Caracas suburb of Petare and neighboring Miranda state on Wednesday.
He said in a message on Telegram that he was mobilizing the army, police and civilian militias to defend the oil-rich country.
Foreign Minister Yván Gil said in Telegram that Venezuela “rejects the warmongering and exaggerated statements of the US president.”
“We view with extreme alarm the use of the CIA as well as the announced military deployments in the Caribbean that amount to a policy of aggression, threats and harassment against Venezuela,” he added.
Trump said the White House deployed eight warships, a nuclear submarine and warplanes to the Caribbean to prevent drug trafficking.
In a leaked memo sent recently to US lawmakers, the Trump administration said it had determined it was involved in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug trafficking organizations.
U.S. officials have alleged that Maduro himself is part of an organization called the Sun Cartel, which is said to include high-ranking Venezuelan military and security officials involved in drug trafficking. Maduro denied the allegations.
Mick Mulroy, a former CIA paramilitary officer and Deputy Under-Secretary of Defense, told the BBC: “To carry out covert action, there needs to be a presidential order where the CIA is specifically authorized and specific actions are specified.”
Mulroy added that such a finding would mark a “significant increase” in efforts against drug trafficking organizations.
“Maybe it’s a real-life ‘Sicario,'” he said, referring to a 2015 movie that shows U.S. agents launching undercover operations against drug cartels in Mexico.
(With additional reporting by Ione Wells)
