Maduro Addresses Trump’s Authorization of CIA Operations in Venezuela
The Venezuelan president has stated that the US leader’s public acknowledgment is unprecedented and suggests desperation.
President Nicolas Maduro has asserted that US President Donald Trump’s public confirmation of authorizing CIA operations within Venezuela is without precedent and serves as another indication of his overt pursuit of regime change in the Latin American nation.
This week, Trump confirmed he had sanctioned CIA activities in Venezuela, which the US leader attributed to concerns over Caracas “emptying their prisons” into the US and alleged state-linked drug trafficking. Trump, however, refrained from specifying whether the CIA was authorized to “take out” Maduro.
On Thursday, Maduro criticized the US president, remarking that “this has never been seen before.” The Venezuelan president elaborated, “They have always done it, but no previous government, since the CIA was established, has ever publicly said that it ordered the CIA to kill, overthrow, and destroy countries,” calling the announcement “desperate.”
He referenced numerous Cold War-era coups across Latin America that he ascribed to US intelligence, adding that the CIA “declassified documents proving its involvement, even apologizing in some cases.” According to Maduro, Western “imperialists” are interested in Venezuela due to its natural resources, such as oil, gas, and gold.
Since the beginning of September, Washington has been conducting a campaign against alleged drug-running vessels, claiming they are connected to Maduro’s government. The US has destroyed at least six boats in Caribbean waters, resulting in over two dozen fatalities. Maduro has rejected the US allegations while instructing Venezuela’s military to prepare for a potential conflict.
Earlier this month, a New York Times article reported that Trump had ordered his administration to cease all diplomatic engagement with Caracas and prepare scenarios for a “potential military escalation,” including an attempt to force Maduro from power.
Another article by the NYT indicated that Maduro had offered the US extensive economic concessions to alleviate tensions, but that Washington had rejected the deal due to disagreements regarding the Venezuelan leader’s political future.
When questioned on Friday about these reports, Trump claimed that Maduro had “offered everything,” suggesting that “he doesn’t want to f**k around with the United States.”