President Donald Trump’s unprecedented confirmation of CIA covert operations and consideration of land strikes in Venezuela signals a significant escalation in US policy. This move has ignited fierce debate over international law, congressional oversight, and the potential for a new “eternal war” in Latin America, transforming a regional drug interdiction effort into a high-stakes geopolitical confrontation.
In a rare public disclosure, President Donald Trump confirmed Wednesday that he has authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela. This announcement comes amid escalating tensions and a series of lethal US military strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean, further hinting at potential land operations within the South American nation.
Trump’s Rationale: Prisons and Narcotics
During an event in the Oval Office, President Trump outlined two primary reasons for authorizing the covert action, which was first reported by The New York Times. He asserted that Venezuela had “emptied their prisons into the United States of America,” and cited the significant flow of drugs, particularly via sea, originating from the country.
“I authorized for two reasons, really,” Trump stated. “No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America, 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.” He also noted that the administration “is looking at land” as it considers further strikes in the region, while declining to specify if the CIA had authority to target Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro directly.
Maduro’s Defiance and Historical Warnings
In response to Trump’s statements, President Nicolás Maduro condemned the actions, drawing strong parallels to past US interventions and the CIA’s historical record in global conflicts. Maduro did not directly address Trump’s specific comments about Venezuela but passionately denounced the broader implications.
“No to regime change that reminds us so much of the (overthrows) in the failed eternal wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and so on,” Maduro declared during a televised event. He also referenced historical abuses in Latin America, including the estimated “30,000 disappeared” during Argentina’s military dictatorship (1976-1983) and the 1973 coup in Chile.
Maduro called for peace, stating, “The objective is ‘to say no to war in the Caribbean, no to war in South America, yes to peace.'” Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry echoed this sentiment, rejecting Trump’s “bellicose and extravagant statements” as a “very serious violation of international law and the United Nations’ Charter.” The ministry indicated it would raise a formal complaint with the United Nations Security Council.
Congressional Pushback and Legal Scrutiny
The Trump administration’s aggressive posture has generated significant resistance from both sides of the aisle in Congress. Earlier this month, the administration declared drug cartels “unlawful combatants,” asserting the US was in an “armed conflict” with them. This move has been criticized by lawmakers for potentially committing acts of war without congressional authorization.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed strong concerns. While supporting efforts to curb drug trafficking, she stated that the administration’s actions slide the US “closer to outright conflict with no transparency, oversight or apparent guardrails.” Shaheen emphasized the need for clarity, questioning whether the administration is leading the US into another conflict, endangering servicemembers, or pursuing a regime-change operation.
Lawmakers have also expressed frustration over the administration’s failure to provide concrete evidence that the targeted boats were carrying narcotics. Officials have primarily pointed to unclassified video clips of strikes posted on social media by Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, rather than “hard evidence.” This lack of transparency has intensified calls for greater congressional oversight.
The “War on Drugs” and Lethal Force
Since early September, US forces have reportedly destroyed at least five vessels—four of them originating from Venezuela—killing 27 people. The use of lethal military force against alleged drug boats is an unprecedented shift from past administrations, which typically relied on law enforcement agencies like the Coast Guard for drug interdiction. This new approach has “raised legal questions” regarding its justification under international and domestic law, as reported by ABC News.
Trump defended the strategic shift, arguing that traditional methods employed for decades have proven “totally ineffective.” He asserted that drug traffickers operate “world-class speedboats,” which are “not faster than missiles.” Meanwhile, human rights organizations have raised serious concerns that these strikes could violate international law and constitute extrajudicial killings.
The Road Ahead: What This Means for Venezuela and Beyond
The explicit confirmation of CIA operations, coupled with the consideration of land strikes, marks a significant departure from previous US policy towards Venezuela, deepening the existing diplomatic and economic pressures. The Justice Department, for instance, has already offered a substantial reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture, which was doubled to $50 million in August.
This escalation raises critical questions about the future of US engagement in Latin America. Will increased military action lead to a more stable region, or will it further destabilize it and ignite a protracted conflict, as Maduro warns? The ongoing debate in Congress and the international community’s response will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of these operations, with long-term implications for both US foreign policy and the sovereignty of nations in the Caribbean and South America.
