The attacks on boats of suspected drug traffickers have angered Caracas. Now US President Trump is taking it a step further: he announced that he has approved covert CIA operations in Venezuela. What is his aim?
Following the deadly attacks by the US military on boats suspected of transporting drugs in the Caribbean Sea, President Donald Trump has announced that he will "fight drug traffickers” in Venezuela itself. The US head of state did not specify the scope of such operations, but confirmed that CIA operations in Venezuela had been approved.
A coup attempt?
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the US does not recognize as legitimate, called this a coup attempt by the CIA. When asked if he had authorized Maduro to be "liquidated" Donald Trump replied with a sneer: "That's an absurd question. It's not actually absurd, but it would be absurd to answer, wouldn't it?".
In recent weeks, the US military has repeatedly fired on boats of suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean Sea. According to reports, more than 20 people have been killed. The action has drawn criticism, in part because the US government has not provided any information about the legal grounds on which it carries out such operations. The sharp protest of the Venezuelan government and the UN call for restraint have apparently had no effect on Trump. He points out that the United States is flooded with drugs from abroad and accuses Maduro of controlling criminal gangs and drug trafficking.
For his part, the Venezuelan head of state condemns the deployment of American military forces in the Caribbean Sea, which he considers a threat to peace and stability in the region. In response, Maduro ordered military exercises to be held in the most densely populated parts of the country. Other military operations are also planned in the states bordering Colombia.
What is the United States doing in Venezuela?
When Donald Trump tried to remove the Venezuelan dictator from power during his first term, the American president was much more direct in his intentions: the United States accused Maduro of rigging the elections, did not recognize his victory and imposed sanctions. Other countries followed suit. Maduro, however, remained in power.
In his second term, Trump has changed his approach and is now emphasizing old accusations that Maduro is a drug trafficker and a dangerous criminal. According to people familiar with the matter, the plan is to force Maduro to step down as part of Trump's ongoing fight against drug cartels, writes "Politico".
Washington will declare such groups terrorist organizations, increase the reward for Maduro's head to $ 50 million and suspend diplomatic relations with Caracas. The campaign may not be officially aimed at regime change, but if the pressure leads to the overthrow of Maduro, Trump and his team will be very pleased, the American publication explains. Administration officials, however, told Politico that they are not ruling out any possible scenario for US action against the Venezuelan dictator.
The Opposition, the Nobel Prize and the Warm Relationship with Trump
A few days ago, the Nobel Committee in Oslo awarded the Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado the Nobel Peace Prize. The American president made no secret of the fact that he expected him to receive the prize. And although the expectation was that he would be angry at the decision, this problem seemed to be parried - and by Machado herself. Hours after learning that she had been awarded, Machado directly stated that she was "dedicating" her award to Donald Trump. The American president said that he had spoken to Machado after learning the news, and that she had been "very nice" during their conversation.
In an interview with CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour, Maria Corina Machado repeated many of the things the Trump administration accuses Maduro of. She even asked the US president to "help" achieve her goal of overthrowing the dictator. When asked if she was directly calling for US military intervention in her country, the opposition leader did not answer directly, but said she wanted to see the influence of Russia, China, Cuba and Iran limited and claimed that Venezuela is currently a "safe haven" for terrorist organizations.
In early September, before receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Machado told the British "Times": "This is the biggest opportunity we have ever had" - regarding the US strikes on Venezuelan boats that the Trump administration claims are transporting drugs to the US. "And we won't miss it", Machado is adamant.