US President Donald Trump stated that the United States recently targeted a dock area in Venezuela used by suspected drug traffickers to load drugs onto boats. This action, if confirmed, marks the first reported land strike by the Trump administration against Venezuela, a country rich in oil resources. Trump mentioned a significant explosion in the dock area where drug-loaded boats were prepared, indicating that the operation successfully targeted both the boats and the implementation area.
The President did not disclose which specific US entity conducted the operation, leaving that information undisclosed. Venezuela’s government has not yet issued a response to these events. Reports from CNN, citing anonymous sources familiar with the operation, suggested that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) carried out a drone strike on a port facility in Venezuela earlier in the month. The target was a remote dock believed to be utilized by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua for drug storage and transfer onto boats for shipping purposes.
Trump initially disclosed the strike during an interview with WABC radio, mentioning the destruction of a significant facility involved in the alleged production of illicit drugs in Venezuela. The United States has been increasing its military presence in Caribbean waters near Venezuela as part of an anti-narco-terrorism campaign, sinking around 30 suspected drug boats since September in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in over 100 deaths. Venezuela has accused the US of attempting regime change and military expansion in Latin America.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expressed readiness for dialogue with the US based on mutual respect, provided that the US refrains from interfering in Venezuela’s internal affairs.
