(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has authorized the CIA to organize secret operations within Venezuela as a component of a larger strategy aimed at pressuring President Nicolas Maduro’s administration, according to a report released Tuesday.

A media outlet reported, citing several sources familiar with the issue, that Trump approved potential covert actions that could set the stage for future military or political maneuvers.

Simultaneously, the article noted that the White House has resumed discreet communications with Caracas. During these back-channel discussions, Maduro reportedly indicated he might consider stepping down following a transition period.

In a televised speech on Monday, Maduro cautioned that any US military intervention would represent the “political end” of Trump’s tenure, accusing individuals surrounding the US president of “provoking” an armed conflict for political gain.

He reaffirmed Venezuela’s willingness for direct talks, describing diplomacy as his government’s “invariable” approach.

Since the beginning of September, the United States has carried out 21 strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, which it claimed were involved in drug smuggling, resulting in 83 fatalities. Trump has also hinted at the possibility of targeting alleged trafficking operations on Venezuelan soil.

MENAFN19112025000045017167ID1110367154