President Donald Trump has approved CIA plans to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, which could potentially pave the way for broader military action inside the country, according to a new report.
The New York Times noted that, at the same time, Trump also authorized back-channel negotiations with the Maduro regime. It added that previous rounds included an offer to have Maduro leave power in two or three years, which was rejected by the White House.
The outlet said it's not clear what the operations might look like, but could involve sabotage, psychological or cyber operations. Trump has not made a final decision on the matter, and officials have also presented options that could see special forces go into Venezuela to try to catch or kill Maduro.
Another plan involves capturing oil fields or critical infrastructure, but analysts and former Venezuelan officials said Russian weapons held by the regime increase the chances of casualties, the outlet said in another report. However, they said, any air defense systems or fighter jets would be destroyed by precision strikes before any operation.
The Trump administration said this weekend it designated the Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization, potentially paving the way for military strikes against regime officials accused of leading the organization.
The Department of State said in a statement that the designation will go into effect on November 24, adding that the organization is "headed by Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking individuals of the illegitimate Maduro regime who have corrupted Venezuela's military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary."
"Neither Maduro nor his cronies represent Venezuela's legitimate government. Cartel de los Soles by and with other designated FTOs including Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel are responsible for terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe," the release adds.
Moreover, last Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Operation Southern Spear, which is aimed at targeting "narco-terrorists" and defend "our homeland from the drugs that are killing our people."
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