Donald Trump wants to expand military operations in Venezuela

In addition to the US military’s deadly attacks on suspected drug-laden boats in the Caribbean, President Donald Trump has also announced plans to combat drug smugglers on land. There are numerous drugs that are brought from Venezuela by sea to the USA, “but we will also stop them on land,” he said in the White House.

Trump left it open to what extent such operations could take place. However, he confirmed that actions by the CIA secret service in Venezuela had been authorized. Trump initially refused to confirm a New York Times report that he had commissioned the CIA to carry out covert operations against Maduro’s government. Shortly afterwards he appeared to announce that he had authorized CIA operations in Venezuela. However, asked whether he had given the CIA the authority to “take out” Maduro, Trump replied: “That’s a ridiculous question to me. Not really a ridiculous question, but wouldn’t it be ridiculous if I answered it?”

Maduro reacted angrily to Trump’s statements. “No to war in the Caribbean. No to regime change. No to CIA-orchestrated coups,” Maduro told a government committee in Caracas. Trump accuses Maduro of controlling drug gangs. The Venezuelan head of state, in turn, denounces the US military operation in the Caribbean as a threat to peace and stability in the region. In response, Maduro ordered military exercises in the country’s most densely populated neighborhoods. During these exercises, the “entire military force” of the population, army and police will be mobilized, said the head of state in an audio message distributed on the Telegram online service.

In recent weeks, the US military has fired on boats belonging to suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean several times. More than 20 people are said to have been killed. The procedure caused criticism, also because the US government did not provide any information about the legal basis on which it was acting. Trump does not dispute the fact that Venezuela’s government protested vehemently and the United Nations called on the USA to exercise restraint. He points out that the United States is being flooded with drugs from abroad.