US President Donald Trump has confirmed reports that he has authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, prompting outrage from the South American country's leaders.
US forces have already carried out at least five strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean in recent weeks, killing 27 people. UN-appointed human rights experts called the raids “extrajudicial killings.”
Speaking at the White House, Trump said the US was “looking at the ground” as it considered further strikes against drug cartels in the region.
Nicolas Maduro, whose legitimacy as Venezuela's president is disputed internationally after disputed elections last year, called on television for peace with the United States.
The increased US military presence in the region has raised fears in Caracas of a possible attack.
Trump's authorization would allow the CIA to conduct operations in Venezuela unilaterally or as part of any broader U.S. military activity, according to the New York Times.
It remains unknown whether the CIA is planning operations in Venezuela or whether those plans are being kept in place 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 questioned about the New York Times report.
“Why did you allow the CIA to enter Venezuela?” – asked the journalist.
“I actually authorized this for two reasons,” Trump said in a highly unusual admission by the US commander in chief about an intelligence organization whose activities are usually shrouded in secrecy.
“First of all, they [Venezuela] have emptied their prisons in the United States of America.”
He added: “And the other thing is drugs. We get a lot of drugs coming from Venezuela, and a lot of Venezuelan drugs come by sea, so you'll see that, but we're going to stop them by land, too.”
Venezuela plays a relatively minor role in the region's drug trade. The President will not be interested in whether the CIA's goal was to overthrow Maduro, for whom the US has offered a $50 million (£37 million) reward.
“Wouldn’t that be a funny question for me?” – he said.
In the latest US strike on Tuesday, six people were killed when a boat was attacked off the coast of Venezuela.
Trump said on Truth Social that “intelligence confirmed that the vessel was transporting drugs, was associated with illegal narco-terrorism networks, and was transiting a known drug trafficking corridor.”
As with previous strikes, U.S. officials did not specify which drug trafficking organization was believed to be operating the vessel or the identities of those on board.
On Wednesday evening, Maduro took to the airwaves to warn against escalating the situation.
“No to regime change, which reminds us so much of the endless, failed wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and so on,” said the socialist leader.
“No to coups d'état orchestrated by the CIA.”
He added: “Listen to me, no war, peace, people of the United States.”
Earlier in the day, Maduro ordered military exercises on Wednesday in the Caracas suburb of Petare and in the neighboring state of Miranda.
In a Telegram post, he said he would mobilize the army, police and civilian militia to defend the oil-rich country.
Foreign Minister Iván Gil said on Telegram that Venezuela “rejects the belligerent and extravagant statements of the US President.”
“We view with extreme concern the use of the CIA, as well as the announced military deployment in the Caribbean, which amounts to a policy of aggression, threats and harassment of Venezuela,” he added.
Trump has sent eight warships, a nuclear submarine and fighter jets to the Caribbean in what the White House says is an attempt to crack down on drug smuggling.
In a leaked memo recently sent to US lawmakers, the Trump administration said it had determined it was engaged in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug trafficking organizations.
US officials say Maduro himself is part of an organization called the Cartel of the Sun, which they say includes senior Venezuelan military and security officials involved in drug trafficking. Maduro has denied these accusations.
Mick Mulroy, a former paramilitary CIA officer and assistant undersecretary of defense, told the BBC: “To carry out covert activities, you must obtain a special authorization from the President of the CIA, giving specific permission to do so, specifying the specific actions.”
Mulroy added that such a discovery would mean a “significant increase” in efforts against drug trafficking organizations.
“This might be the real-life Sicario,” he said, referring to the 2015 film that showed U.S. operatives conducting covert operations against drug cartels in Mexico.
(With additional reporting by Ione Wells)
