Trump says he has authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump said that he has authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. The announcement comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Caracas over recent US strikes on Venezuelan boats in the Caribbean Sea. Trump justified his decision by citing drug trafficking and prison releases from Venezuela as major concerns.
Question
2 reasons behind decision
Trump was holding a news conference with some of his top law enforcement officials when he made the comments. When one of the reporters asked about an earlier news report in The New York Times about the CIA authorization and why he did so, Trump replied, "I authorized it for two reasons, really." "Number one, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America." "The other thing," he said, was Venezuela's role in drug trafficking.
Diplomatic fallout
Venezuela condemns Trump's decision
He then suggested that the US would take actions on foreign soil to prevent the flow of narcotics. "A lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea...But we're going to stop them by land also," he said. Following Trump's remarks, President Nicolas Maduro condemned "coups d'état orchestrated by the CIA." "No to war in the Caribbean...No to regime change," he told a committee set up after Washington deployed warships in the Caribbean.
Controversial assertions
Trump's claims dismissed by intelligence community
Trump has long accused Maduro's government of sending prisoners and mentally ill individuals to destabilize the US. These claims have been dismissed by his own intelligence community. A declassified report earlier this year found no evidence linking Maduro to criminal groups like Tren de Aragua. Despite this, Trump continues to assert that Venezuela is responsible for a "massive invasion" of criminals and drugs into America.
Escalating conflict
US strikes violate international law, experts say
The US has conducted multiple missile strikes on small vessels off the Venezuelan coast, killing at least 27 people so far. The most recent attack was announced on Tuesday, with Trump sharing a video of a boat being bombed. Legal experts have called these strikes a violation of international law since drug traffickers don't fit the definition of armed combatants in war. Trump has defended these bombings, saying they are necessary to save American lives from drug addiction.