US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States had struck a facility in Venezuela used to load boats with drugs, suggesting the first known US operation on land in the country since Washington escalated pressure on the government of Nicolas Maduro, according to Reuters.
Speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago, Trump said there was a “major explosion” in a dock area where drug boats are loaded and claimed the “implementation area” was “no longer around.” He did not provide evidence or specify the location.
No clarity on who carried out the operation
Pressed on whether the US military or the Central Intelligence Agency was responsible, Trump declined to say, adding that he knew who carried out the action but did not want to disclose it. US agencies, including the White House, the Pentagon and the CIA, declined to comment, Reuters reported.
A US official told Reuters the president appeared to be referring to a drug-related facility but offered no further details. There were no independent reports from Venezuela confirming the destruction of such a facility.
Context: pressure campaign expands beyond sea strikes
Trump’s remarks come amid an expanded US pressure campaign against Maduro that has so far focused on strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. Reuters has reported that the US has destroyed dozens of boats as part of the operation, which has drawn scrutiny from Congress.
Last month, Reuters reported that US officials were preparing a new phase of operations against Venezuela, with covert actions expected to play a central role.
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