Trump Increases Pressure on Venezuela Through Covert and Military Actions

SadaNews - President Donald Trump has approved a series of new measures aimed at increasing pressure on the Venezuelan government, at a time when the U.S. aircraft carrier "USS Gerald Ford" is in the Caribbean, with over 15,000 troops participating in a large military operation known as "Southern Lance."

According to the "New York Times," Trump has approved plans for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that allow for covert operations inside Venezuelan territory, believed to aim at preparing the ground for more severe steps later, which may include electronic, psychological, or media operations.

Military planners have also prepared lists of potential targets, including facilities linked to drug manufacturing and military units close to President Nicolas Maduro, while emphasizing that Trump has not granted authorization for ground troop deployment yet.

Trump held two meetings in the White House situation room last week to discuss possible scenarios for dealing with the Venezuelan situation. Meanwhile, a green light was given to commence a new round of secret negotiations with Maduro's government, following a brief halt in communications.

Maduro has expressed a potential willingness to allow U.S. energy companies access to the country's oil wealth, and discussions have touched on the possibility of his resignation after a transitional period lasting two to three years, a proposal that the White House has rejected, demanding an immediate exit from power.

As part of the escalation, the U.S. State Department announced its intention to designate the "Cartel de los Solis" as a terrorist organization, in a move considered a method to legitimize further legal or military actions against the infrastructure linked to the Venezuelan government.

Trump has not yet finalized his approach to dealing with Venezuela, with options ranging from a diplomatic agreement granting U.S. companies oil privileges, to convincing Maduro to voluntarily step down, or direct military action.

Despite the escalation, the U.S. president hinted that the door to dialogue remains open, saying: "We may have some discussions with Maduro... We'll see how things go."

In a different context, the United States carried out 21 naval strikes against boats linked to drug trafficking, resulting in the deaths of at least 83 individuals.

These strikes, conducted without congressional authorization, have raised legal criticisms, as it later became clear that the targeted shipments contained cocaine and not fentanyl as initially announced.