Washington, DC [US], October 16 : US President Donald Trump on Wednesday appeared to confirm that he authorised the CIA to conduct operations inside Venezuela, marking a significant step in his administration's efforts to target authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro.
During a briefing in the Oval Office, Trump was asked why he allowed the CIA to strike inside Venezuela. He appeared to confirm the authorisation and indicated plans to extend operations to "land".
"I authorized for two reasons really, number one they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America, they came in through the border," he said, highlighting concerns over illegal immigration.
He also pointed to drug trafficking, stating, "A lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of drugs come in through the sea, but we're going to stop them by land also."
A report from The Hill noted that Trump's remarks follow previous coverage by The New York Times and CNN, which indicated the president had given the CIA authority to expand covert operations in Venezuela, raising the possibility of direct action against Maduro.
Trump did not answer whether the CIA has permission to eliminate Maduro but suggested that the measures are designed to intensify pressure on Caracas. "I think Venezuela is feeling heat. ... We're not going to let our country be ruined because other people want to drop, as you say, their worst ... we're not going to take them," he added.
He further remarked on monitoring maritime routes, saying, "It's one of those things, I can tell you, we've taken care of the sea. There's nobody and we're watching and if we see it, we'll save it."
The Hill reported that the US has increased its military presence in the Caribbean Sea in recent weeks, carrying out at least five strikes on vessels alleged to be smuggling drugs, resulting in approximately 27 deaths.
Earlier, Trump notified Congress that the US is engaged in an "armed conflict" with drug cartels designated as foreign terrorist organisations. Efforts by Democrats to pass a War Powers Resolution to restrict military action were unsuccessful.
According to The Hill, Trump's senior aides are advocating for potential US involvement in regime change in Venezuela, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also serving as national security adviser, raised the reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest or conviction to $50 million.
In March 2020, Maduro faced charges in the Southern District of New York for narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
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