President Donald Trump has publicly confirmed authorizing covert CIA operations in Venezuela, citing concerns over drug trafficking and immigration, while Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has denounced the move as a push for regime change and called for peace. This escalation follows recent U.S. military strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and a buildup of forces in the region, raising fears of broader conflict.
Trump made the unusual acknowledgement during an Oval Office event, stating he authorized the CIA for two primary reasons: Venezuela emptying its prisons into the United States and the significant flow of drugs from the country. He emphasized that traditional interdiction methods have failed, justifying the need for covert action and potential land operations. The president declined to specify whether the CIA has authority to target Maduro directly, but his comments marked a rare public disclosure of intelligence activities typically kept secret.
In response, Maduro took to national television, vehemently opposing what he termed “CIA-orchestrated coups d’état” and invoking past U.S. interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya as cautionary examples. He appealed directly to the American people in English, saying, “No to war in the Caribbean, yes to peace,” and ordered military exercises in Venezuela to bolster defenses. Maduro’s speech highlighted historical grievances, referencing CIA involvement in Latin American conflicts like the 1973 Chile coup and human rights abuses in Argentina.
The U.S. military has intensified its presence in the Caribbean, deploying eight warships, a nuclear-powered submarine, and fighter jets as part of a crackdown on drug cartels. Since early September, U.S. forces have conducted at least five strikes on vessels originating from Venezuela, killing 27 people, with the most recent attack on Tuesday resulting in six deaths. Trump defended these actions on social media, claiming intelligence confirmed the boats were trafficking narcotics and associated with illicit networks.
Congressional lawmakers from both parties have expressed alarm over the administration’s moves, with Democrats planning to force a vote to limit Trump’s war powers due to concerns about lack of transparency and unauthorized conflict. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen criticized the authorization of covert CIA action and lethal strikes, warning it could slide the U.S. into another regime-change operation without oversight. The administration has yet to provide concrete evidence to lawmakers proving the targeted vessels were carrying drugs, relying instead on unclassified video clips shared online.
Human rights groups and U.N.-appointed experts have condemned the boat strikes as extrajudicial killings that violate international law, while Venezuela’s foreign ministry rejected Trump’s statements as a serious breach of the U.N. Charter. The Trump administration has declared drug cartels “unlawful combatants,” justifying military action under the premise of an armed conflict, but critics argue this approach risks escalating violence and undermining diplomatic efforts.
The situation remains volatile, with Maduro mobilizing military, police, and civilian militias to defend Venezuela, and the U.S. considering further operations, including land strikes. The standoff threatens to destabilize the region, strain diplomatic relations, and potentially lead to a wider confrontation, with ongoing debates about the legality and implications of the U.S.’s aggressive stance against drug trafficking and regime change.