US President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to halt all efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to the escalating tensions with Venezuela, The New York Times reports.
According to the newspaper, US President's special envoy Richard Grenell has been in talks with Venezuelan authorities, including President Nicolas Maduro, for months. However, last week Trump ordered Grenell to end all diplomatic contacts in the region. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, for his part, according to The New York Times, concluded that Grenell's efforts were futile and causing confusion.
The newspaper notes that this development paves the way for further escalation between the two countries. The Trump administration, the newspaper writes, has already developed several plans for military action in the event of increased tensions, which could include operations to overthrow the Maduro government.
Washington accuses the Venezuelan authorities of not adequately combating drug trafficking. The US Navy has already destroyed at least four speedboats in international waters in the Caribbean Sea carrying people accused of transporting drugs from Venezuela.
In his speech to the 80th session of the UN General Assembly on September 23, Trump said that the military would continue to attack ships allegedly linked to Venezuelan drug cartels led by Maduro.
US media reported that the US may begin striking drug cartel targets in Venezuela in the coming weeks.