Trump confirmed he authorized CIA operations in Venezuela, intensifying U.S. pressure on President Nicolas Maduro amid claims of drug trafficking and migration concerns.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Wednesday that he authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, a move that marks a sharp escalation in efforts to pressure President Nicolas Maduro’s government. The directive, first reported by The New York Times, allows the CIA to undertake lethal operations and expanded intelligence activities in the Caribbean region.
Trump said his authorization stemmed from concerns about drug trafficking and the alleged migration of Venezuelan prisoners into the United States. “I authorized for two reasons really,” he told reporters. “Number one, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America… And the other thing are drugs.”
Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yvan Gil condemned the U.S. move, calling it a violation of international law and evidence of a “regime change” agenda targeting the country’s oil resources. “Our Permanent Mission to the UN will raise this complaint with the Security Council and the Secretary-General tomorrow,” Gil said in a statement.