High-stakes air campaign: CIA drone strikes Venezuelan cartels amid growing tensions with Maduro
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Dec 31, 2025, 20:27 IST
Trump says the US 'hit' a coastal drug loading facility in Venezuela
Image credit : AP
In a bold maneuver last week, the CIA executed a drone strike aimed at a facility linked to a suspected drug cartel in Venezuela. This action signifies a marked intensification of US efforts to challenge President Nicolas Maduro's regime. President Trump, referencing the operation, highlighted concerns over drug trafficking and the release of prisoners.
<p>Donald Trump </p>
The CIA conducted a drone strike last week at a Venezuelan docking area suspected of being used by drug cartels, marking the first known direct U.S. operation on Venezuelan soil since September and an escalation of pressure on President Nicolás Maduro's government. President Donald Trump alluded to the operation, stating the U.S. had targeted a "big facility where ships come from" and later a "dock area where they load the boats up with drugs," though he declined to specify if the military or CIA was involved.
Two individuals familiar with the operation, who requested anonymity due to the classified nature of the matter, confirmed the CIA's involvement. This strike follows a significant increase in U.S. personnel in the Caribbean Sea since August, which has included at least 30 U.S. military strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. President Trump has also recently ordered measures aimed at seizing sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
President Trump had previously threatened strikes on Venezuelan land and publicly acknowledged authorizing the CIA for covert action within Venezuela. He cited two primary reasons for this authorization.
“I authorized for two reasons, really,” Trump replied. “No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America,” he said in October as he confirmed to reporters his approval for the CIA to act. “And the other thing, the drugs, we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea.”
The operation has not been acknowledged by Venezuelan officials. Col. Allie Weiskopf, a spokesperson for Special Operations Command, stated that Special Operations did not support this operation, including intelligence support. The CIA and White House officials have also declined to comment further on the matter. CNN was the first to report on the CIA's role in the operation.
President Trump has consistently stated that President Maduro's time in power is limited. The Venezuelan leader and his close associates have been under federal indictment in the United States since 2020, facing charges including narcoterrorism.
Maduro has denied these accusations. The U.S. Justice Department has doubled the reward for information leading to his arrest to $50 million this year.
During an hour-long speech on Tuesday at an international leadership school for women, the Venezuelan president made no mention of the CIA operation.
The strike represents a significant escalation in the administration's ongoing campaign to pressure the Venezuelan government. This campaign has included a substantial deployment of U.S. personnel in the Caribbean and a series of military actions targeting alleged drug trafficking operations. The recent quasi-blockade of oil tankers further underscores the administration's intent to disrupt Venezuela's economic activities.
The U.S. has been actively engaged in efforts to combat drug trafficking, and the operation in Venezuela is framed within this broader context. The indictment of President Maduro and his associates highlights the U.S. government's focus on alleged illicit activities emanating from Venezuela. The increased reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest signals the seriousness with which the U.S. views these charges.
The Venezuelan government's silence on the CIA operation, as observed in President Maduro's recent speech, suggests a strategic decision to either downplay or ignore the U.S. action. This lack of official comment from Caracas contrasts with the U.S. administration's more public, albeit sometimes indirect, acknowledgment of its involvement. The situation remains a complex geopolitical dynamic with significant implications for regional stability and U.S.-Venezuela relations.
Two individuals familiar with the operation, who requested anonymity due to the classified nature of the matter, confirmed the CIA's involvement. This strike follows a significant increase in U.S. personnel in the Caribbean Sea since August, which has included at least 30 U.S. military strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. President Trump has also recently ordered measures aimed at seizing sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
President Trump had previously threatened strikes on Venezuelan land and publicly acknowledged authorizing the CIA for covert action within Venezuela. He cited two primary reasons for this authorization.
“I authorized for two reasons, really,” Trump replied. “No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America,” he said in October as he confirmed to reporters his approval for the CIA to act. “And the other thing, the drugs, we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea.”
The operation has not been acknowledged by Venezuelan officials. Col. Allie Weiskopf, a spokesperson for Special Operations Command, stated that Special Operations did not support this operation, including intelligence support. The CIA and White House officials have also declined to comment further on the matter. CNN was the first to report on the CIA's role in the operation.
President Trump has consistently stated that President Maduro's time in power is limited. The Venezuelan leader and his close associates have been under federal indictment in the United States since 2020, facing charges including narcoterrorism.
Maduro has denied these accusations. The U.S. Justice Department has doubled the reward for information leading to his arrest to $50 million this year.
During an hour-long speech on Tuesday at an international leadership school for women, the Venezuelan president made no mention of the CIA operation.
The strike represents a significant escalation in the administration's ongoing campaign to pressure the Venezuelan government. This campaign has included a substantial deployment of U.S. personnel in the Caribbean and a series of military actions targeting alleged drug trafficking operations. The recent quasi-blockade of oil tankers further underscores the administration's intent to disrupt Venezuela's economic activities.
The U.S. has been actively engaged in efforts to combat drug trafficking, and the operation in Venezuela is framed within this broader context. The indictment of President Maduro and his associates highlights the U.S. government's focus on alleged illicit activities emanating from Venezuela. The increased reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest signals the seriousness with which the U.S. views these charges.
The Venezuelan government's silence on the CIA operation, as observed in President Maduro's recent speech, suggests a strategic decision to either downplay or ignore the U.S. action. This lack of official comment from Caracas contrasts with the U.S. administration's more public, albeit sometimes indirect, acknowledgment of its involvement. The situation remains a complex geopolitical dynamic with significant implications for regional stability and U.S.-Venezuela relations.