The Observer Network by Nguyen Jaki
Tensions between the United States and Venezuela have escalated again.According to Reuters, the Guardian and others on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump admitted on Wednesday that he had authorized the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.
Later that day, in a television speech, President Maduro condemned the "CIA-planned coup" and accused the United States of repeating "failed and endless wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya."
“How long will the CIA continue to conduct the coup?” said Maduro, “Latin America is unwelcome, unnecessary, and speaks away from these acts,” he said, “the current goal is to say ‘no’ to war in the Caribbean, ‘no’ to war in South America and ‘yes’ to peace.”
According to National Public Radio (NPR) and other reports, Maduro also ordered the Venezuelan army to conduct military exercises on the same day in response to the approach of American bombers. He declared that he was mobilizing the army, police and militia to defend Venezuela's "mountains, coasts, schools, hospitals, factories and markets".
On the same day, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Hill issued a government communiqué via social media, accusing Trump of authorizing the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela, seriously violating the purposes and principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
Hill revealed that Venezuela plans to file a complaint in the UN Security Council on 16 October, asking the international community to condemn the actions of the United States, “the US president’s remarks are belligerent and absurd... The international community has a duty to condemn these obviously exaggerated and incredible expressions.”
Trump posted on social media video of U.S. military attacks on “drug trafficking vessels”
The New York Times was the first to report the secret orders of the CIA in the committee. U.S. officials who were aware of the decision said that the Trump administration’s strategy against the committee was to overthrow the Maduro government.
The CIA’s activities in Latin America have been long-standing, especially during the Cold War period, according to the report. Historically, the agency participated in such operations in a variety of ways, ranging from direct paramilitary operations, to intelligence gathering and supporting roles, and supporting work with almost no trace of entity.
The New York Times said Trump's new mandate would allow the CIA to carry out deadly covert operations alone or in conjunction with the U.S. military and a series of related operations in the Caribbean.
Trump continues to use immigration and drug trafficking as a pretext to serve as a "shooter" for the authorization operation.
On Wednesday, in response to a reporter’s question at the White House Oval Office, Trump claimed, “There are two main reasons why I authorize the action. First, they (referring to the Committee) put all the people in prison to the United States... These people crossed the border because we had previously implemented the open border policy; secondly, the drug issue.”
He added that progress has been made in the U.S. in intercepting the shipment of drugs by sea, and that additional work is currently shifting to land passages.
At the meeting, a reporter asked Trump why he didn't follow the conventional practice of the United States for decades and ordered the Coast Guard to intercept ships suspected of drug trafficking. Trump called this practice "politically correct", but in fact it was "useless".
Trump defended his decision, “We’ve been doing this for 30 years, but it’s totally useless.Their ships are faster, some even world-class fastboats.But faster and faster than missiles.”
When asked whether the CIA had the authority to "execute" Maduro, Trump refused to answer directly, saying only vaguely,"I think Venezuela is feeling the pressure."
On the 15th local time, Trump held a press conference
Recently, the U.S. deployed several warships in the Caribbean.The day before (14), Trump posted on social media that the U.S. military again sinked a so-called “drug trafficking ship” in international waters near the Venezuelan coast that day, killing six people on board.
This is the fifth time since September that the Trump administration has announced military action against "drug trafficking ships" in international waters off Venezuela. The United States claimed to have sunk five so-called "drug carriers" and killed 27 "drug dealers". Venezuelan President Maduro has repeatedly accused the United States of attempting to bring about regime change in Venezuela through military threats and military expansion in Latin America.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration submitted a memorandum to Congress stating that the U.S. and a drug trafficking group identified as a terrorist organization were “in a non-international armed conflict.” The memorandum did not specify which drug trafficking groups were involved, nor did it specify how individual targets could be identified as members of a drug trafficking group.
On Wednesday, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chief Democrat, New Hampshire senator Jeanne Shaheen, criticized the Trump administration for pushing the United States to the edge of a “direct conflict” in the absence of transparency, supervision or any clear precautions.
“The American people have the right to know whether the current government is dragging the United States into another conflict, whether it is putting American troops at risk, or whether it is pushing for a coup.”