US Conducts First Known CIA-Led Drone Strike on Venezuelan Soil
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) carried out the first known US drone strike on Venezuelan territory last week, according to a government official familiar with the operation. The attack targeted a port facility in Venezuela, and was part of an escalating campaign by the Trump administration against President Nicolás Maduro's government.
The strike marked a new escalation in the conflict between the US and Venezuela, which has been ongoing for months. The US has been conducting drone strikes and other operations against suspected drug smugglers and members of Venezuelan gangs, but this is the first time that the CIA has been directly involved in the operation.
According to the official, no people were on the dock at the time of the attack and no one was killed. However, the strike may have weakened a key hub for smuggling activities.
The Trump administration has been increasingly critical of Maduro's government, and has imposed sanctions and other measures against him and his allies. The president has also accused Maduro of collaborating with Mexican drug cartels, which he claims are responsible for the recent surge in violence in Venezuela.
The CIA's role in the operation was first disclosed by President Donald Trump on Christmas Eve, when he told troops aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford that the US had "hit" a major target in Venezuela. The official said that they had been briefed on the details of the strike, but were not authorized to discuss them.
Critics have accused the Trump administration of escalating the conflict with Venezuela and undermining democracy. "This is the lawless Trump administration in action," said Win Without War policy director Sam Ratner. "The only way forward is for Congress to stop Trump's illegal strikes and hold those in the administration who have so flagrantly broken the law to account."
The CIA has a long history of carrying out covert operations, including drone strikes, and has been involved in numerous conflicts around the world. However, this is the first time that the agency has been directly involved in an operation on Venezuelan soil.
In recent months, the US has increased its military presence in the region, with troops deployed to the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The Trump administration has also imposed a range of sanctions and other measures against Venezuela, including restrictions on oil imports and asset freezes on top officials.
The situation in Venezuela remains volatile, with widespread poverty and shortages of basic necessities like food and medicine. The country is also grappling with a severe economic crisis, which has led to high levels of inflation and unemployment.
As the conflict between the US and Venezuela continues to escalate, there are growing concerns about the potential consequences for democracy and human rights in both countries.
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) carried out the first known US drone strike on Venezuelan territory last week, according to a government official familiar with the operation. The attack targeted a port facility in Venezuela, and was part of an escalating campaign by the Trump administration against President Nicolás Maduro's government.
The strike marked a new escalation in the conflict between the US and Venezuela, which has been ongoing for months. The US has been conducting drone strikes and other operations against suspected drug smugglers and members of Venezuelan gangs, but this is the first time that the CIA has been directly involved in the operation.
According to the official, no people were on the dock at the time of the attack and no one was killed. However, the strike may have weakened a key hub for smuggling activities.
The Trump administration has been increasingly critical of Maduro's government, and has imposed sanctions and other measures against him and his allies. The president has also accused Maduro of collaborating with Mexican drug cartels, which he claims are responsible for the recent surge in violence in Venezuela.
The CIA's role in the operation was first disclosed by President Donald Trump on Christmas Eve, when he told troops aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford that the US had "hit" a major target in Venezuela. The official said that they had been briefed on the details of the strike, but were not authorized to discuss them.
Critics have accused the Trump administration of escalating the conflict with Venezuela and undermining democracy. "This is the lawless Trump administration in action," said Win Without War policy director Sam Ratner. "The only way forward is for Congress to stop Trump's illegal strikes and hold those in the administration who have so flagrantly broken the law to account."
The CIA has a long history of carrying out covert operations, including drone strikes, and has been involved in numerous conflicts around the world. However, this is the first time that the agency has been directly involved in an operation on Venezuelan soil.
In recent months, the US has increased its military presence in the region, with troops deployed to the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The Trump administration has also imposed a range of sanctions and other measures against Venezuela, including restrictions on oil imports and asset freezes on top officials.
The situation in Venezuela remains volatile, with widespread poverty and shortages of basic necessities like food and medicine. The country is also grappling with a severe economic crisis, which has led to high levels of inflation and unemployment.
As the conflict between the US and Venezuela continues to escalate, there are growing concerns about the potential consequences for democracy and human rights in both countries.
i'm literally shaking right now thinking about this 
what's going on with our government 
we're talking about a CIA-led drone strike on venezuelan soil 
like, have we lost all sense of morality? 
the fact that they're just doing this without congress's approval is straight up UNCONSTITUTIONAL 
and now these politicians are like "oh, it's just business as usual" 
meanwhile, venezuela is literally bleeding on our hands 
and no one's saying anything about it 
he's always talking about "taking care of problems" but really he's just making things worse 
i mean, what's next? Are we gonna start sending in troops or something? 
because that's exactly what we need - more bloodshed on foreign soil 
... just kidding but seriously this is crazy how the Trump administration thinks they can just go rogue with drone strikes like it's no big deal 
. I mean, I'm not surprised though Venezuela has been in chaos for ages and this just adds fuel to the fire 
. Can't wait to see what other moves the US makes next... probably gonna be some more sanctions or maybe a coup 
. One thing's for sure, it's gonna get messy 
, and now some people are losing their jobs 
because of this "smuggling hub" thingy 
. It's like, we can't just let a president have carte blanche to start wars without anyone checking in 
. And what's with all these sanctions and restrictions? Is that even going to help Venezuela or just hurt them more? I don't get it 
that's some crazy stuff going down 
! so like a drone strike on venezuelan soil is already shady enough 
, but it's even more messed up when you think about all the sanctions and whatnot being imposed on maduro 
, but this whole thing just feels super aggressive 
. it's like they're trying to make an example out of maduro 
, maybe that'll help bring some peace back to the region 
. but until then, it's just gonna be a whole lot of uncertainty 
...
and why no one got hurt in this 'operation'? that doesn't add up at all. also, has anyone considered the impact on Venezuela's economy and people? 
we're just seeing a whole lot of rhetoric from Trump and his administration... what's the real agenda here? 
. I'm not saying Maduro is off the hook or anything 
, but it feels like we're just adding fuel to the fire 
and let's not forget about Maduro, who's basically just trying to survive in a country that's already super unstable. he's not exactly the villain here, you know? 