On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that he has given the green light for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct operations in Venezuela and suggested the possibility of a ground intervention to tackle drug trafficking and the influx of irregular immigrants from the South American nation.
During a press briefing alongside the FBI director, a journalist inquired about the authorization granted to the CIA to operate in Venezuela and whether Trump could provide further details on the matter. "Well, I can't do that, but I authorized it for two main reasons," Trump stated. "First, they've been emptying their prisons into the United States. They came through the border because we had an open border policy. As soon as I heard that, I said: many of these countries are not the only ones, but they are the worst offenders," the president remarked, addressing the issue of irregular migrants entering from various Latin American countries.
Trump elaborated, "They've allowed thousands of inmates and patients from mental institutions, psychiatric asylums to flood into the United States. We're sending them back, but that's really bad," emphasizing that his administration is working to return individuals released by those governments.
The president highlighted the severity of the situation with Venezuela, stating, "They did it to a level that probably not many countries have, but not like Venezuela; they acted in a low and dirty way," he commented.
Drug Trafficking and Strategic Military Moves
Trump also linked the authorization to efforts against drug trafficking: "And the other thing is drugs. We have a lot of drugs coming from Venezuela, and many of the Venezuelan drugs come by sea. But we're going to stop them by land too," he warned.
His statements align with a report from The New York Times released the same day, detailing that his administration had approved the CIA to conduct covert and lethal operations in Venezuelan and Caribbean territories. According to the report, the decision is part of a strategy crafted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, aimed at increasing pressure on the Chavista regime and forcing Nicolás Maduro out of power.
Although Trump did not divulge more specifics about the operations' nature, he asserted that "Venezuela is feeling the heat," and his government will not allow "other nations to burden the United States with their criminals and mentally ill."
On the same day, it was reported that two strategic B-52 bombers from the U.S. Air Force flew over the Caribbean Sea near the Venezuelan coast as part of anti-narcotics military exercises coordinated by the Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), according to official U.S. sources.
Key Questions About U.S. Involvement in Venezuela
What are the main reasons for CIA operations in Venezuela?
President Trump cited two primary reasons: addressing the issue of countries reportedly emptying their prisons into the U.S. and combating drug trafficking originating from Venezuela.
How does the U.S. plan to stop drug trafficking from Venezuela?
Trump mentioned plans to stop drug trafficking both by sea and by land, indicating a comprehensive approach to curbing the flow of drugs from Venezuela into the United States.
What military actions have been taken by the U.S. in relation to Venezuela?
The U.S. Air Force deployed two B-52 bombers to the Caribbean as part of anti-narcotics military maneuvers coordinated by SOUTHCOM, demonstrating a strategic military presence near Venezuela.