President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela and said he is considering strikes targeting drug cartels in the region.
The announcement follows at least five recent U.S. strikes on suspected drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean, which killed 27 people. UN-appointed human rights experts have described the raids as “extrajudicial executions.”
Speaking from the Oval Office alongside FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trump said the operations are aimed at addressing Venezuela’s alleged drug trafficking and the release of prisoners into the United States. “We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela… we’re going to stop them by land also,” he said.
Trump declined to comment on whether the CIA’s authorisation could be used to remove President Nicolas Maduro, who the U.S. and other nations do not recognise as Venezuela’s legitimate leader following disputed elections. The U.S. has offered a $50 million bounty for Maduro.
The CIA directive, reported by the New York Times, would allow the agency to operate unilaterally or as part of wider U.S. military activity in Venezuela, though it is unclear whether any operations are currently planned or kept as contingencies.
The U.S. has deployed significant air, naval, and troop assets to the region, with around 4,000 troops positioned as part of efforts to pressure Maduro’s government. Officials have alleged Maduro’s involvement in the so-called Cartel of the Suns, a network of high-ranking military and security officials allegedly engaged in drug trafficking, a claim Maduro has denied.
The strikes are part of a broader campaign to counter drug flows from Venezuela, with Trump emphasising both maritime and potential land-based action. Recent U.S. military activity has raised concerns in Caracas of a possible attack, amid ongoing tensions between the two nations.
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