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.
