Journalism of Courage
US President Donald Trump confirmed a report on Wednesday that CIA is carrying out covert operations inside Venezuela and said that he was considering carrying out land operations in the country, including strikes targeting drug cartels in Venezuela, AP reported.
Trump’s acknowledgement of CIA conducting covert ops comes as US forces have already carried out at least five strikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean since September which killed about 27 people. Four of the five vessels targeted originated from Venezuela. The United Nations appointed human rights experts have called the strikes “extrajudicial executions”.
Speaking during an event at the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said he had authorised the CIA to take action and the US “is looking at land” as it expands its strikes in the region. The Trump administration is considering exerting more pressure on President Nicolas Maduro as America and some other countries do not recognise Maduro as Venezuela’s rightful leader after a disputed election in the country.
Describing the rationale behind the CIA operation in Venezuela, Trump said, “I authorized for two reasons, really. No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America,” he said. “And the other thing, the drugs, we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea.”
Trump, while addressing the media along with FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, declined to comment when asked whether the CIA has authority to take action against President Maduro. The increased military presence in the region has threatened Venezuela’s capital Caracas of a possible attack by US forces.
In response to Trump’s acknowledgement, the Venezuelan government on Wednesday expressed rejection to the statement where the US president publicly admitted that the CIA has been authorised to conduct covert operations in the South American country. The Venezuelan government said the statement constituted a violation of international law and the United Nations charter.
(with inputs from AP)
