Washington assures that the military movement in the Caribbean Sea It is for work drug trafficking interdiction. Furthermore, he maintains that the Cartel of the Sunssupposedly led by Ripefloods the United States with drug.
Around the World Newsletter
Since August, The naval fleet sent to the Caribbean has attacked at least five boats near the Venezuelan coast under the argument that they were carrying drugs. A total of 27 people have died in these actions.
Image of the drug boat in the Caribbean minutes before the United States attack. Photo: X/Pete Hegseth
However, both the chavismo as the American press have expressed that The objective of this operation is to depose Maduro from power in Venezuela.
According to the newspaper The New York Times, Trump’s new secret authorization would allow the CIA to carry out lethal operations in Venezuela and carry out a series of actions in the Caribbean.
Even could undertake covert operations against Maduro or his government unilaterally, indicated the NYT.
US President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 15, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP).
/
On Wednesday, his own trump confirmed the NYT revelation. He said he had authorized the covert action and that The United States was considering launching ground attacks in Venezuela.
“Without a doubt, now we are considering the land territory, because we have the sea very well controlled”said the president when asked by the press.
He then explained that there are two reasons for the authorization: accused Venezuela of having emptied its prisons to send criminals to the United States. And he said that much of the drugs that enter his country come from Venezuela.
The attacks within Venezuela They would represent a serious escalation with respect to the current situation. The NYT detailed that there are 10,000 US soldiers in the Caribbean, most of them in bases Puerto Rico. The others are the Marines who are on amphibious assault ships near Venezuela.
In total, the US Navy has eight warships and one submarine in the Caribbean Sea.
Physical elimination is not ruled out
Nicolás Maduro speaks during a march to commemorate the “Day of Indigenous Resistance” in Caracas, Venezuela, on October 12, 2025. (Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP).
/
Andrés Gómez de la Torrea specialist in defense and intelligence issues, told The Commerce that It is not usual for a president of the United States to publicly confirm that has authorized the CIA to carry out covert operations abroadsince these types of provisions are usually kept completely secret.
What does Trump’s secret order entail? Gómez de la Torre said that “It means strengthening the type of operation that the CIA normally carries out, which is infiltration, agitation, propaganda, sabotage and eventually the physical elimination of one or more targets. The exact content of this order will, of course, never be known.”.
“It is, therefore, a return to classic Cold War methodswhere the agency operated with a wide margin of action in the hemisphere”, he remarked.
What explains the increasingly aggressive tone of the United States towards Maduro? The analyst explained that the policy towards Latin America would be led by Marco Rubiowho in addition to heading the State Department, acts as national security advisor of President Trump.
“Rubio would represent the hard line within the cabinet, imposing itself against the diplomatic or negotiating approach that embodies Richard Grenellthe one sent to Venezuela“, held.
CIA covert operations in Latin America
In this photo from September 11, 1997, Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet appears. (PHOTO: CRIS BOURONCLE / AFP).
/
Guatemala, 1954
The CIA organized the Operation PBSUCCESS to overthrow the president Jacobo Árbenz Guzmánwhose agrarian reform program affected the United Fruit Company.
The United States considered its policies to be communist.
The CIA financed, trained and armed a small rebel army led by Carlos Castillo Armas. In addition, he spread radio propaganda to simulate a great insurrection.
was successful and Arbenz It was replaced by a military junta.
Cuba, 1961
invasion of Bay of pigsin which Cuban exiles were trained by the CIA in Nicaragua and Guatemala to overthrow Fidel Castro.
The operation failed and ended up strengthening Castro’s power and his alliance with the then Soviet Union.
Cuba, 1962
Operation Mongoose aimed to destabilize and overthrow the Castro government.
The president John F. Kennedy ordered the CIA to carry out covert actionsincluding sabotage, terrorism and murder.
He didn’t achieve his goal. The consequence was the missile crisis of 1962, when the United States and the Soviet Union were on the verge of starting a nuclear war.
Brazil, 1964
The United States logistically and politically supported the military coup that overthrew the president João Goulartaccused of being too leftist and with pro-communist leanings.
The operation included coordination with the Brazilian military, the sending of warships, the financing of protests and media manipulation.
As a consequence, a military dictatorship began that lasted 21 years.
Dominican Republic, 1963-65
The CIA actively participated in the destabilization campaign against Juan Bosch in the Dominican Republic, before and after his brief government in 1963.
In 1965, American troops invaded the country to prevent the return to power of Juan Bosch.
Washington sought a government aligned with its policies.
Chile, 1973
The United States provided political, financial and intelligence support for the military coup that overthrew Salvador Allende in Chile.
The CIA financed opposition political parties, unions, media and business groups. It also promoted economic destabilization.
As a consequence, the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.
1970s
United States, through INCsupported the repression of political opponents carried out by dictatorships in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile through Operation Condor.
These dictatorships and the CIA exchanged information, carried out kidnappings and murdered opponents.
As a result, in addition to the dead, thousands were missing and systematic human rights violations were carried out.
Nicaragua, 80s
The United States financed and trained the Againstarmed groups opposed to the Sandinista government led by Daniel Ortega in Nicaraguaseeking to wear down and eventually remove Sandinismo from power.
Granada, 1983
The CIA was part of the Operation Urgent Furythe military invasion of the United States to Grenade to overthrow the Marxist government of Hudson Austinsuccessor of Maurice Bishop, under the justification of protecting American students and curbing Cuban influence.
American soldiers guard their security post in front of the Vatican embassy in Panama City, where Panamanian General Manuel Noriega requested asylum, during Operation Just Cause, on December 25, 1989. (Photo by MANOOCHER DEGHATI / AFP).
/
Panama, 1989
The Operation Just Cause aimed to capture the Panamanian dictator Manuel Antonio Noriegaformer CIA collaborator turned adversary.
Before the US military invasion, the CIA operated internal espionage and sabotage networks against the Noriega regime.
Haiti, 1994
The United States led the military intervention Uphold Democracy which restored Jean-Bertrand Aristide as president of Haiti.
Aristide had been overthrown in 1991. Although the CIA did not directly organize the coup of State, had trained and supported the Haitian intelligence services responsible for the riot.
Furthermore, the CIA contributed to discrediting Aristide within the Washington political apparatus.
After the coup, the CIA supervised and limited Aristide’s movements in Panamaseeking to neutralize the political impact of his figure.
Firm hand
CIA Director John Ratcliffe speaks during a cabinet meeting with US President Donald Trump, August 26, 2025. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP).
/
Andrés Gómez de la Torre told this newspaper that the appointment of John Ratcliffe As director of the CIA, he reinforced the heavy-handed orientation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump himself.
He recalled that Ratcliffe had promised before the United States Congress to promote a most aggressive, bold and intrusive intelligence agency and less afraid to take risks.
“His closeness with Marco Rubio would facilitate the application of this new doctrine in the Latin American field, particularly in Venezuela”said the analyst.
