United States President Donald Trump has denied planning strikes against Venezuela.
Aboard Air Force One, the American head of state answered a question about whether he was considering attacks on the South American country.
Earlier, information appeared that Washington could launch strikes against military facilities in Venezuela, which are suspected of being used by cartels in drug smuggling operations.
Last week, the Pentagon announced the deployment of the aircraft carrier "Gerald Ford" to Latin America. This escalates a military buildup that experts say far exceeds any requirements for counternarcotics operations, the stated goal of the U.S. mission so far.
Since early September, U.S. forces have carried out at least 13 strikes on suspected drug ships, mostly in the Caribbean, killing about 57 people. The Pentagon has provided few details about the people targeted in the strikes, but has confirmed that they include people from Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador.
The carrier strike group adds about 10,000 more troops and massive firepower to a military buildup that already includes guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear-powered submarine and about 6,500 troops.
The Pentagon has not explained why such firepower is needed for counternarcotics operations.