Trump confirmed he has green-lit CIA covert operations in Venezuela, and that ground attacks might be next.

United States President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he has authorised the CIA to carry out secret operations in Venezuela.

The New York Times first disclosed the directive, quoting US officials who privately said the administration’s strategy is focused on removing President Nicolas Maduro from power.

Trump also said his administration was mulling a land attack on Venezuela, amid sharply escalating tensions after multiple US strikes on Venezuelan boats in the Caribbean Sea in recent weeks and a troop buildup in those waters ordered by the US president.

Maduro appeared on national television Wednesday night, urging restraint and caution against any further escalation.

“No to regime change that reminds us of the failed wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya… No to coups d’état carried out by the CIA… Latin America does not want them, does not need them, and rejects them,” said the Venezuelan president in response to Trump’s announcement.

So what might Trump be planning? Are his moves legal? How has Venezuela responded, and what does history tell us about what covert CIA operations in Latin America might look like?

What did Trump announce?

“Why did you authorise the CIA to go into Venezuela?” a journalist asked the US president at a White House news conference.

“I authorised for two reasons, really,” Trump said.

“Number one, they [Venezuela] have emptied their prisons into the United States of America.

“And the other thing are drugs. We have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea, so you get to see that, but we’re going to stop them by land also,” he added.

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When asked if the CIA “had the authority to take out Maduro”, Trump demurred – refusing to rule out regime change, though not committing to it, either.

“Oh, I don’t want to answer a question like that… That’s a ridiculous question for me to be given … not really a ridiculous question, but it would be a ridiculous question for me to answer. But I think Venezuela is feeling heat,” Trump added.

What operations has the US already carried out?

The US has carried out at least five strikes on boats in Venezuelan waters, alleging that the boats were carrying drugs, and killing a total of 27 people.

The latest attack took place on Tuesday, Trump said.

“Under my standing authorities as commander-in-chief, this morning, the Secretary of War, ordered a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel affiliated wi