Trump Authorizes CIA Operations in Venezuela

President Donald Trump has confirmed that he is giving the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) the green light to conduct operations in Venezuela. This move is part of a broader initiative aimed at tackling drug trafficking in Latin America through force.

During a news conference on Wednesday, alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, Trump indicated that the administration’s next focus is “on land” in Latin America. This follows a series of U.S. military strikes, reportedly five, against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean over the past month. He also acknowledged that these CIA operations aim to bolster the U.S. offensive against drug traffickers.

Trump mentioned there are “two reasons” for this decision.

Firstly, he pointed out that Venezuela has been releasing prisoners into the United States. “They came in through the border thanks to our open border policy,” he noted. The president expressed dissatisfaction with certain countries that are, in his view, the chief culprits in allowing these prisoners, including mentally ill individuals, to enter the U.S. “It leaked to the United States,” he stated.

Secondly, Trump highlighted the surge of drugs being trafficked from Venezuela. “There’s a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela,” he remarked.

Following these statements, a reporter inquired whether the CIA had the authority to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Trump dismissed the question as “stupid,” asserting that he preferred not to discuss such topics at the press conference. “I don’t want to answer questions like that,” he replied.

Earlier that day, the New York Times had reported that Trump authorized the CIA to execute covert operations in Venezuela. Reflecting on the impact of these moves, Trump remarked, “I think Venezuela is feeling the heat. But I think a lot of other countries are feeling the heat, too.”

He continued with a strong stance on immigration, asserting that the U.S. will not sacrifice its safety for the sake of accepting the worst individuals from other countries. “They’re flooding our country with prisoners and seriously mentally ill people and criminals. And we’re not going to accept that,” Trump declared.