Trump authorizes secret CIA operations and expands offensive against Maduro in Venezuela

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, confirmed this Wednesday (15) that he authorized secret operations by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Venezuela, including what he called “lethal actions” against targets linked to the government of Nicolás Maduro. The information was initially released by The New York Times and later confirmed by the president himself during an interview at the White House.

According to the newspaper, the decision represents a new escalation in the North American offensive against the Venezuelan government, accused by Washington of leading the so-called Poster of the Sunsa group that, according to US authorities, operates in international drug trafficking. The CIA’s actions, kept secret, may involve both direct attacks and intelligence operations in the Caribbean and in countries close to Venezuela.

Trump justified the decision by stating that “Venezuela has been sending drugs and criminals to the United States”. Asked about the possibility that Maduro could be one of the agency’s targets, the president replied that “that would be a ridiculous question”, but highlighted that Caracas “is feeling the pressure”.

Tensions between the two countries have increased in recent weeks. In August, the US Department of Justice offered a reward of US$50 million for information leading to Maduro’s capture. Shortly afterwards, the US moved military ships and aircraft to the southern Caribbean, a region close to the Venezuelan coast. According to the NOWthe apparatus includes seven vessels, a nuclear submarine and around 4,500 soldiers — a contingent that experts consider “incompatible with a simple anti-drug operation”.

Since September, the United States has been carrying out bombings on vessels that, according to the Trump administration, belong to narco-terrorist organizations. The most recent attack, authorized on Tuesday (14), destroyed a boat in international waters and left six people dead. Human rights bodies such as Human Rights Watch denounced the actions as “illegal extrajudicial executions”, saying they violate international law.

Venezuela reacted by asking the UN to investigate the bombings, claiming that the victims were civilian fishermen. At the Security Council, diplomats expressed concern about the risk of military escalation in the region.

Experts interviewed by the American press say that the US movement recalls moments that preceded military interventions, such as the one that led to the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011. For political scientist Maurício Santoro, the sending of military resources “indicates that Washington is willing to go beyond diplomatic and economic pressure”.

The White House, in turn, avoids detailing the plans. Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said only that “President Trump will use all necessary force against Maduro’s criminal regime.” Meanwhile, Caracas mobilizes troops and civilian militias in preparation for a possible invasion.