The intensification of pressure against Caracas coincides with the planning of military options by the US army, which will present different alternatives to President Trump.
Currently, more than 10,000 U.S. soldiers are deployed near the Venezuelan coasts
The intensification of pressure against Caracas coincides with the planning of military options by the US army, which will present different alternatives to President Trump.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to carry out covert operations in Venezuela, according to The New York Times.
This authorization represents a significant step in the intensification of United States' pressure on the Chavista regime of Nicolás Maduro, whom the White House labels as a “narco-terrorist.”
The measure comes in a context of growing tension in the Caribbean region and of United States military activities off the Venezuelan coast. During recent weeks, the US army carried out attacks against vessels that were transporting drugs, in which 27 narco-terrorists were killed.
The new authorization granted to the CIA would allow it to conduct covert actions, including lethal operations inside Venezuela, and to carry out additional activities in the Caribbean region. These operations could be executed unilaterally by the agency or as part of a broader military effort, although it is still unclear whether the CIA has immediate plans or if the authorization is conceived as a contingency measure in the face of possible escalations.
Currently, around 10,000 US soldiers are deployed in the region, mostly stationed at bases in Puerto Rico, along with a contingent of marines embarked on amphibious assault ships. The US Navy also keeps eight surface warships and one submarine operating in the Caribbean, which demonstrates the significant military reinforcement in the area.
The Trump administration's strategy on Venezuela has been outlined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in collaboration with John Ratcliffe, director of the CIA. Among their initiatives is the offer of 50 million dollars for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Maduro on drug trafficking charges in the United States. Rubio, who also serves as Trump's national security advisor, described the Venezuelan dictator as illegitimate.
With this new authorization, the United States is taking an important step in its policy against the Chavista regime, combining military pressure, financial incentives, and covert intelligence actions to achieve the end of Nicolás Maduro's dictatorship in Venezuela.