US President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday (15) that he authorized the country’s intelligence agency, the CIA, to carry out operations in Venezuela aimed at trying to overthrow the government of President Nicolás Maduro, RT channel reported.
According to Trump, the authorization was granted for “two reasons”. First, because he believes Caracas “emptied its prisons for the United States”. He never presented any evidence and even accused the South American nation of sending “a lot of drugs” to the United States.
“We are looking at the land now, the sea is under control”, Trump told reporters at the White House when asked about carrying out attacks on Venezuelan territory.
Asked if the CIA had the “authority to remove” the Chavista leader from power, the US president simply replied: “I don’t want to answer that question; it’s a ridiculous question. It would be ridiculous for me to answer that question. But I believe Venezuela is feeling the pressure, and I think many countries are also feeling the pressure”.
Previously, the New York Times reported that Trump authorized “lethal” operations against high-ranking officials of Maduro’s Bolivarian government, amid increased US military pressure in the Caribbean Sea and coup rhetoric supported by sectors of the Venezuelan opposition.
Meanwhile, Maduro announced the activation of the “Integral Defense Zone” and has been mobilizing the population across the country to defend against the imminent invasion.
Source: brasil247.com