US President Donald Trump confirmed yesterday that he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, a sharp escalation of US efforts to pressure the government of President Nicolas Maduro, Reuters reported today.
The New York Times first reported the classified directive, citing US officials familiar with the decision, saying the Trump administration's strategy for Venezuela is aimed at removing Maduro from power.
The administration offered $50 million for information leading to Maduro's arrest and conviction for drug trafficking.
The new authorization would allow the CIA to conduct lethal operations in Venezuela and carry out various missions throughout the Caribbean, according to the New York Times.
When asked why he authorized the CIA to operate in Venezuela, Trump told reporters that the reasons were the migration of Venezuelans to the United States (US) and drug trafficking.
"I approved it for two reasons, actually. Number one, they emptied their prisons and sent them to the United States of America... they came across the border. They came in because we had an open border. And the second thing is drugs," he said in the Oval Office.
Trump has not provided evidence for his claim that Venezuela is sending former prisoners to the US.
He added that the US has made progress in intercepting drug shipments at sea and that additional efforts are now being focused on land routes.
"We're looking at the land now, because we've got the sea under control very well," Trump said.
Reuters was unable to independently determine exactly what actions Trump authorized, and the White House declined to clarify his statements.
Historically, the CIA's involvement in such operations has ranged from direct participation in paramilitary actions to intelligence gathering and providing support with minimal physical presence.
The CIA has a long history of operations in Latin America, particularly during the Cold War, and helped bring down South American drug cartels in the late 20th century.
Reuters previously reported that the CIA has been conducting covert operations in Mexico for years with the aim of capturing the most wanted drug lords.
The Venezuelan government said Trump's statements constitute a violation of international law and that US actions are aimed at legitimizing a "regime change" operation aimed at taking over the country's oil resources.
"Our permanent mission to the United Nations will submit this complaint to the Security Council and the Secretary-General tomorrow, demanding accountability from the US government," said a statement posted by Foreign Minister Ivan Hill on his Telegram account.
Trump: Venezuela 'feeling the pressure'
Trump has repeatedly accused Venezuela of being a hub for the trafficking of the deadly drug fentanyl, but US data shows that the main source of the drug is Mexico.
Asked by reporters why he doesn't use the Coast Guard to stop ships suspected of drug smuggling, which has been US practice for decades, Trump said such efforts were "politically correct" and had not yielded results.
Trump declined to answer a question about whether the CIA had the authority to execute Maduro, saying: "I think Venezuela is feeling the pressure."
Trump has ordered a large deployment of US troops to the southern Caribbean Sea, and troops have carried out at least five strikes on ships that the Trump administration claims are involved in drug trafficking – without providing evidence.
The campaign is the latest example of Trump's efforts to use American military power in new, often legally controversial ways - from deploying active-duty troops to Los Angeles to carrying out counterterrorism raids on suspected drug traffickers.
The Pentagon recently informed Congress that Trump had concluded that the US was engaged in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels.
Trump: Venezuela released prisoners to the US
Trump also accused Venezuela of releasing a large number of prisoners, including mental health patients, into the United States, although he did not specify which border they crossed.
Neither Venezuela's Information Ministry nor representatives of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado immediately responded to requests for comment on Trump's statements.
The Trump administration has provided very little information about the military strikes, which has caused frustration among members of Congress, including some Republicans.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Wednesday that the administration has brought the US closer to open conflict.
"The American people deserve to know whether the administration is dragging the United States into another conflict, putting soldiers at risk, or conducting a regime change operation," Shaheen said in a statement.
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