Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has urged his US counterpart Donald Trump not to attack his country.
“No to war, no to war. Only peace, only peace - forever, forever. End the insane war. Please, please, please“, he chanted in English at an event in Caracas.
Yesterday, CNN, citing US officials, reported that the US president is considering plans to strike cocaine production facilities in Venezuela. However, it was emphasized that no decision had been made yet.
Trump earlier confirmed to reporters a New York Times report that the White House had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela aimed at destabilizing the government of President Nicolas Maduro. The Venezuelan government condemned the US leader's statement, calling it a "grave violation of international law".
In September, the US began using its armed forces to destroy vessels allegedly transporting drugs off the coast of Venezuela. NBC reported that the US military is working on options for strikes against drug traffickers in Venezuela and such strikes could begin within weeks.
White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt announced on August 19 that Trump was ready to deploy "all elements of US forces" to combat drug trafficking, without ruling out the possibility of a military operation in Venezuela. The statement came after the dispatch of US warships, including a guided missile cruiser and a nuclear submarine, to the coast of the republic.
Caracas called these steps "a provocation and an attempt to destabilize" the situation in the region, as well as a violation of international agreements on the demilitarized and nuclear-free status of the Caribbean region.