Trump considering strikes on land against Venezuela cartels

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump said on Oct 15 that he was considering strikes targeting Venezuelan cartels on land, after a series of deadly strikes at sea against alleged drug-carrying boats.

“We are certainly looking at land now, because we’ve got the sea very well under control,” Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked if he was weighing strikes on land.

Mr Trump confirmed reports on Oct 15 that he had authorised the

CIA to conduct covert action

in Venezuela against the administration of President Nicolas Maduro.

Asked if he had given the CIA authority to “take out” Mr Maduro, Mr Trump replied: “That’s a ridiculous question for me to be given. Not really a ridiculous question, but wouldn’t it be a ridiculous question for me to answer?”

Venezuela is taking the threats – open or clandestine – seriously.

On Oct 14, under Mr Maduro’s direction, exercises were conducted across the entire Atlantic Caribbean coast of Venezuela, and other military activities are planned in the states on the border with Colombia.

In a message on the social network Telegram, Mr Maduro said he was mobilising the military, police and a civilian militia to defend Venezuela’s “mountains, coasts, schools, hospitals, factories and markets”.

Mr Trump said on Oct 14 that another strike on boats allegedly transporting drugs from Venezuela

had killed six “narcoterrorists”

.

At least 27 people have been killed so far in the US attacks.

Experts question the legality of using lethal force in foreign or international waters against suspects who have not been intercepted or questioned.

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has said he believes some of those killed were Colombian.

Mr Trump accuses Mr Maduro of heading a drug cartel – charges Mr Maduro denies.

Ahead of ramping up military actions, the US Justice Department in August doubled a bounty for information leading to Mr Maduro’s capture to US$50 million (S$64.7 million). AFP