President Trump’s cryptic refusal to confirm whether he’s authorized the CIA to “take out” Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has sparked intense speculation about America’s most aggressive covert operation in Latin America since the Cold War.
Story Highlights
- Trump confirms CIA covert operations in Venezuela but won’t say if Maduro assassination is authorized
- U.S. forces have already killed 27 people in attacks on Venezuelan vessels off the coast
- Operation justified as anti-drug enforcement but widely seen as regime change effort
- First time CIA granted direct lethal authority in Venezuela, escalating beyond sanctions and indictments
The Authorization That Dare Not Speak Its Name
When pressed during a press conference about whether the CIA has authority to eliminate Maduro, Trump’s response was telling in what it didn’t say. He acknowledged approving covert operations and hinted at possible ground strikes, but danced around the assassination question like a politician avoiding a process server. This strategic ambiguity serves a purpose—plausible deniability while sending an unmistakable message to Caracas.
The operation represents a dramatic escalation from the Trump administration’s previous Venezuela strategy of sanctions, indictments, and a $50 million bounty on Maduro’s head. Now we’re talking about lethal covert action, the kind of authorization that historically precedes regime change rather than follows it.
Blood in Caribbean Waters
The theoretical has already become deadly reality. U.S. forces have attacked vessels off Venezuela’s coast, killing 27 people in what officials describe as drug interdiction operations. These strikes occurred after the August deployment of warships, Marines, and naval forces to the Caribbean, officially for drug enforcement but strategically positioned to pressure Maduro’s regime.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Radcliffe haven’t been subtle about their intentions—both have publicly stated that removing Maduro is the ultimate goal. When your top diplomats are openly calling for regime change, the “anti-drug operation” cover story becomes transparently thin.
History’s Bloody Precedent
This playbook isn’t new—it’s a greatest hits album of American intervention in Latin America. The 1954 CIA coup in Guatemala, the 1973 Chilean operation, and the Iran-Contra scandal all followed similar patterns: justify intervention with noble-sounding rationales while pursuing geopolitical objectives. The only difference now is that “anti-communism” has been replaced with “anti-drug enforcement” as the preferred justification.
Venezuela’s economic collapse under Maduro’s socialist policies has created the perfect storm for intervention. Hyperinflation, mass emigration, and international isolation have weakened the regime precisely when Trump needs to demonstrate American strength in what Washington still considers its strategic backyard.
The Dangerous Dance of Deniability
Trump’s refusal to answer the assassination question directly reveals the administration’s calculated approach. Confirming lethal authority against a foreign leader would trigger congressional oversight and international condemnation. Denying it would remove the psychological pressure on Maduro and his inner circle, who must now wonder if every day could be their last.
This ambiguity serves American interests while maintaining legal and political cover. Maduro’s regime, already paranoid and isolated, must now operate under the assumption that CIA operatives have kill orders—whether they actually do or not becomes almost irrelevant to the strategic equation.
Sources:
Chosun Ilbo – Trump Authorizes CIA Covert Operation Targeting Venezuela’s Maduro Regime
