U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States may take its anti-drug campaign in Venezuela beyond maritime operations and strike land targets, signaling a potential escalation in U.S. involvement in the region.
“We are certainly looking at land now because we’ve got the sea very well under control,” Trump told reporters when asked if he was considering land strikes. He explained that Venezuelan traffickers had been using high-speed boats to move fentanyl and other narcotics, but said U.S. forces had “knocked out many of them,” calling the maritime campaign “a tremendous success.”
The president added that each intercepted vessel “saves thousands of American lives,” and said new measures were under review as part of Washington’s broader anti-narcotics strategy.
If authorized, land operations would represent a major escalation of U.S. military activity in Venezuela, where tensions between Washington and Caracas have remained high for years. Trump also confirmed that he had authorized the CIA to operate in Venezuela, framing it as part of efforts to dismantle cartel networks and curb drug inflows.
Analysts said such a move could draw sharp criticism from Venezuela and its allies, potentially raising geopolitical tensions in the region.
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