(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he has authorized the CIA to conduct operations within Venezuela.

According to reports, this authorization enables US intelligence personnel to carry out lethal missions targeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom Trump has accused of leading “narco-terrorist” networks responsible for sending cocaine and fentanyl into the United States.

When asked by a reporter in the Oval Office, “Why did you authorize the CIA to go into Venezuela?” Trump replied, “I authorized for two reasons, really. Number one, they [Venezuela] have emptied their prisons into the United States of America.”

He continued, “And the other thing is the drugs. We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea, so you get to see that, but we’re going to stop them by land also.”

Pressed on whether the CIA has permission to “take out Maduro,” Trump responded, “I don’t want to answer a question like that. Wouldn’t it be a ridiculous question for me to answer?”

During his first term, Trump imposed extensive sanctions on Venezuela and recently raised the reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture to $50 million. The US has also dispatched a naval fleet to the eastern Caribbean and, since September, reportedly destroyed five vessels suspected of smuggling drugs from Venezuelan territory.

Maduro has rejected all accusations of involvement in narcotics trafficking, asserting that Washington is attempting to overthrow his government and warning that Venezuelan forces are prepared to defend the country against any potential US aggression.

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