CIA given the green light: Trump approved secret plans

At the same time, Trump has re‑established back‑channel negotiations with the government of that country&rsquo;s president, Nicol&aacute;s Maduro, according to sources familiar with the situation, the New York Times reported.According to the sources, Trump approved additional pressure measures, with the largest U.S. aircraft carrier currently deployed in the Caribbean, as preparation for a potentially broader military campaign.The secret operations could include sabotage or cyber, psychological, and informational activities, but it is not clear which measures will be implemented or when.&ldquo;Trump signed off on a CIA agreement for covert measures inside Venezuela, operations that could be intended to prepare the battlefield for further actions,&rdquo; the sources said.AA/ABACA / Abaca Press / ProfimediaTrump has not approved the deployment of combat troops to Venezuela, and military and intelligence planners have prepared several options, including lists of potential targets linked to drug production and possible strikes on military units loyal to Maduro.The U.S. president held two Venezuela‑focused meetings last week.The White House and the CIA declined to comment on the reports.At the same time, Trump has revived secret negotiations with Maduro after they were previously halted.Maduro ready for a deal?According to the sources, Maduro signaled in the talks that he was willing to allow the U.S. access to Venezuelan oil and even offered the possibility of stepping down after a transitional period of two to three years&mdash;a proposal the White House rejected.Trump confirmed that such talks were taking place, saying, &ldquo;We may have some conversations with Maduro, and we&rsquo;ll see how it ends.&rdquo;While publicly linking Venezuela to drug trafficking and illegal migration, Trump has privately spoken about the country&rsquo;s large oil reserves and U.S. companies&rsquo; access to them, the New York paper reports, noting that despite setbacks, the secret negotiations show that a diplomatic solution remains possible.The administration&rsquo;s strategy includes increasing pressure while keeping options open for Maduro&rsquo;s departure, the paper notes.Under the name &ldquo;Operation Southern Spear,&rdquo; the U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean represents the largest deployment since the Cuban Missile Crisis.The region is currently hosting the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford and around 15,000 U.S. troops.EPA/LISE ASERUD NORWAY OUTAs announced, the State Department will designate the Cartel de los Soles as a terrorist organization on November 24, which encompasses a broad part of Maduro&rsquo;s government and potentially opens the way for further actions.Trump stated that he does not rule out sending ground forces to Venezuela, nor direct negotiations with Maduro.In the meantime, the administration has carried out 21 attacks on ships it claims were trafficking drugs, resulting in at least 83 deaths.HANDOUT / AFP / ProfimediaCongress did not authorize the attacks, which drew criticism from legal experts and Democrats.Officials acknowledged that the ships were carrying cocaine, despite Trump&rsquo;s public claim that the target was fentanyl.However, military officials admitted in closed meetings with Congress that the ships were transporting cocaine, not fentanyl.

CIA given the green light: Trump approved secret plans

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