The United States is preparing to move to a new phase of pressure on Venezuela in the coming days, including secret operations, aimed at overthrowing the government of President Nicolas Maduro, Reuters reported, citing sources in the US administration.
According to the agency, it is not clear exactly when US President Donald Trump has decided to launch such operations or their scale, but this is expected to happen “in the coming days“. Reuters notes that the US is seeking to “increase pressure“ on the Venezuelan government.
The secret operations, according to agency sources, will be only “the first part of the new measures against“ the Venezuelan president. "The possibility of an attempt to overthrow Maduro is being considered.“
The Washington Post previously reported that the Trump administration was considering “capturing“ Maduro and seizing Venezuela's oil fields. Meanwhile, lawyers in the US administration have expressed doubts about the legality of the strikes on speedboats allegedly used for drug smuggling.
US media have repeatedly reported that the United States may soon begin striking drug cartel targets in Venezuela.
Meanwhile, six airlines canceled flights to Venezuela on Saturday after civil aviation warned of increased military activity in the Caribbean by the United States, Maricela de Loaiza, president of the Venezuelan Airlines Association, told Agence France-Presse.
Among the canceled flights to Venezuela are Brazilian airline GOL, Spanish airline Iberia, Colombian airline Avianca, Portuguese airline TAP, Chilean airline Latam and Carribean from Trinidad and Tobago.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly warned that his country faced the most serious threat of a US invasion in 100 years. Washington accuses Venezuelan authorities of failing to adequately combat drug smuggling. The US Navy has deployed eight ships, a nuclear submarine and more than 16,000 troops to the Caribbean Sea, and since September has destroyed at least 20 motor boats in international waters, killing 76 people accused of smuggling drugs from Venezuela. On November 16, the Pentagon announced that a strike group of US ships led by the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford had entered the Caribbean Sea.