President Trump Confirms CIA Authorization for Covert Operations in Venezuela
In a dramatic escalation of U.S. foreign policy in Latin America, President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he has authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. The announcement marks one of the most direct acknowledgments of CIA activity by a sitting U.S. president in recent history and signals increased pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government.
The Announcement and Its Context
During an Oval Office briefing on October 15, 2025, Trump disclosed that he granted the CIA new authorities to operate within Venezuelan borders. He cited two principal reasons behind the decision: the massive inflow of narcotics from Venezuela and claims that the Venezuelan government had released incarcerated individuals—including those from mental institutions—who later entered the United States illegally.
Trump stated: “I authorized for two reasons, really. Number one, they’ve emptied their prisons into the United States. And number two, the drugs — we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela. We stopped them at sea, now we’re working on land as well”.
The CIA directive, first reported by The New York Times, grants the agency permission to carry out lethal missions and covert operations in Venezuela and broader Caribbean zones. This authorization, known legally as a “presidential finding,” represents a major expansion of U.S. intelligence activity in the region.
Link to Military Actions in the Caribbean
The CIA operations follow a string of recent U.S. military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea, which have resulted in at least 27 fatalities. Several of the destroyed boats were reportedly operating out of Venezuelan ports. These incidents have been condemned by human rights experts as potential extrajudicial killings under international law.
The U.S. Navy currently maintains eight surface warships and one submarine in the Caribbean, while approximately 10,000 American troops are stationed in nearby Puerto Rico and aboard amphibious assault ships. This buildup, combined with CIA involvement, has heightened fears of a direct military confrontation.
Maduro’s Response
President Nicolás Maduro responded during a televised address from Caracas, condemning the U.S. for what he described as “imperialist aggression” and comparing it to American interventions in Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan. Venezuela’s National Council for Sovereignty and Peace accused the United States of attempting to orchestrate regime change under the pretense of anti-drug operations.
Maduro’s government did not issue an immediate diplomatic statement to Washington but reportedly placed the nation’s armed forces on high alert.
U.S. Policy Objectives and Regional Reactions
Washington insiders familiar with the decision stated that the Trump administration’s broader aim is to force Nicolás Maduro from power, although the president publicly declined to confirm that regime change is a specific goal. When asked if the CIA has the authority to remove Maduro, Trump called the question “ridiculous” but added, “Venezuela is feeling the heat”.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly helped craft the new strategy, blending intelligence operations with potential targeted military strikes inside Venezuelan territory.
Regional reactions have been mixed. Colombia and Brazil have expressed tentative support for the move, citing Venezuela’s alleged ties to narcotrafficking networks. In contrast, Mexico and several Caribbean nations warned that U.S. actions could destabilize Latin America further.
Global and Domestic Impact
The White House’s acknowledgment of CIA operations represents an uncommon transparency regarding covert U.S. intervention abroad. Analysts suggest this disclosure serves two purposes: domestic signaling to strengthen Trump’s “law and order” image and strategic deterrence aimed at Venezuela’s political and military apparatus.
However, critics argue that the move risks triggering an international crisis. Humanitarian groups and certain European Union officials have cautioned that expanding CIA operations could escalate into full-scale conflict, worsening the humanitarian crisis already plaguing Venezuela.
Conclusion
President Trump’s confirmation of CIA authorization in Venezuela underscores a new and aggressive chapter in U.S. foreign policy toward Latin America. As the CIA assumes an expanded role alongside the American military, tensions between Washington and Caracas continue to climb. With the U.S. signaling readiness to “go beyond the sea” and strike “by land,” the coming weeks may prove critical in defining the geopolitical balance of power in the Caribbean basin.
The world now watches closely as Venezuela braces for what could become one of the most consequential covert operations of the 21st century.