Trump Secretly Authorizes Lethal CIA Operations in Venezuela, Provoking Accusation of International Law Violation

A secret authorization by U.S. President Donald Trump for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations—including lethal actions—in Venezuela has triggered a serious diplomatic crisis, with Caracas formally accusing the U.S. of «violating international law.»

This move, confirmed by Trump and first reported by The New York Times, marks a dangerous escalation in Washington’s campaign to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government.

The revelation comes amid heightened tensions, characterized by a significant U.S. military deployment in the Caribbean, justified by the Trump administration under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.

As part of this offensive, the U.S. has dispatched eight ships and a submarine to Venezuelan waters, destroying at least three vessels that Trump has accused—without evidence—of transporting drugs from the Caribbean nation to the U.S., resulting in 14 deaths.

According to the newspaper, U.S. officials «have made it clear, privately, that the ultimate goal is to oust Maduro from power.»

In their report for the Times, journalists Julian E. Barnes and Tyler Pager indicated that the secret authorization granted by Trump to the CIA allows for «lethal operations in Venezuela and a series of operations in the Caribbean.»

This revelation coincides with a massive U.S. military buildup in the region. Pentagon sources cited in the article confirmed that the U.S. currently has approximately 10,000 troops, eight surface warships, and a nuclear submarine positioned in the Caribbean.

«The agency could undertake covert actions against Maduro or his government unilaterally or in conjunction with a broader military operation. It is unclear whether the CIA is planning any operations in Venezuela,» the American newspaper noted.

In response, Trump acknowledged to the press that he had authorized the covert action, stating that his administration is contemplating launching attacks on Venezuelan territory.

«Without a doubt, we are now considering land territory, because we have the sea very well controlled,» the far-right president said.

Venezuela Denounces «Serious Violation of International Law»

In response, the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela issued a strong statement on Wednesday, describing Trump’s remarks as «bellicose and extravagant,» and accusing him of constituting a “serious violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.”

The statement argued that such actions not only threaten Venezuela’s sovereignty but also represent a dangerous escalation in U.S. foreign policy toward Latin America.

«The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela rejects the bellicose and extravagant statements of the U.S. president, in which he publicly admits to authorizing operations to act against the peace and stability of Venezuela,» the document shared by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil on his Telegram channel stated.

According to Caracas, «this unprecedented assertion constitutes a serious violation of international law and the United Nations Charter, compelling the community of nations to denounce these manifestly immoderate and inconceivable claims.»

In the text, the Venezuelan government characterized the use of the CIA, as well as the announced military deployments in the Caribbean, as a situation of «extreme alarm,» asserting that these actions «configure a policy of aggression, threat, and harassment against Venezuela,» consistent with legitimizing «a regime change operation» aimed at «seizing Venezuela’s oil resources.»

Furthermore, it cautioned that the U.S. president’s statements aim to «stigmatize Venezuelan and Latin American migration, fueling xenophobic and dangerous rhetoric.»

In light of this scenario, it called on the international community to «understand that impunity for these acts will have dangerous political consequences that must be stopped immediately.»

It is important to recall that in response to Trump’s offensive, Venezuela filed a formal complaint during the extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), called by the Pro Tempore Presidency of Colombia.

At this cooperation forum, Caracas demanded an «immediate regional response» and announced that its Permanent Mission to the United Nations would elevate the complaint to the Security Council and the Secretary-General, requesting «accountability» from the U.S. government and the adoption of «urgent measures to prevent a military escalation in the Caribbean,» a region that was declared by CELAC as a «zone of peace» in 2014 and is currently gravely threatened by Trump’s actions.

Original article: Trump autorizó en secreto “operaciones letales” de la CIA en Venezuela y Caracas acusa “violación del Derecho Internacional»