Venezuela’s Defense Minister, Vladimir Padrino López, stated this Thursday (23) that the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is already operating within Venezuelan territory. The statement was made during military exercises in the country’s coastal regions and comes amid growing tension between Caracas and Washington.
“We know that the CIA is present, not only in Venezuela, but in all parts of the world where there is a United States embassy. The CIA will be operating there,” said Padrino López in a statement broadcast on state television.
The Chavista general added that the regime of dictator Nicolás Maduro “maintains control” over the situation, despite alleged covert operations conducted by Washington.
“They can infiltrate as many CIA bodies as they want in covert operations from any flank of the nation, and any attempt will fail, as they have failed so far,” he stated.
This Friday (24), the Pentagon confirmed the sending of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford, the largest in its fleet, to the Caribbean region, where it will operate close to the Venezuelan coast. According to Department of Defense spokesman Sean Parnell, the measure aims to “support the president’s directive to dismantle transnational criminal organizations.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated that the operation seeks to strengthen the American ability to “detect, monitor and disrupt illicit activities that threaten the country’s security and prosperity”. The USS Gerald Ford will join a contingent already present in the area, made up of destroyers, amphibious ships, F-35B fighters, P-8 patrol planes and MQ-9 drones, based in Puerto Rico.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has destroyed around ten vessels suspected of drug trafficking in Caribbean and Pacific waters, close to the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia, resulting in at least 37 deaths. Washington claims that the actions are part of anti-drug operations, but Caracas considers the offensive in the region a direct threat to its sovereignty.
Padrino López, in turn, declared this Thursday that the Venezuelan Armed Forces are “in full development of exercises to reach an optimal point” of readiness in the face of any attempted aggression.
