Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he authorized the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela. The move marks a sharp escalation in US pressure on President Nicolás Maduro’s government. Trump also suggested he was considering strikes on Venezuelan territory. This would go beyond recent lethal attacks on boats in the Caribbean, which Democrats and UN experts have criticized as unlawful. Maduro condemned the announcement, calling it a series of “coups d’etat orchestrated by the CIA.” “No to war in the Caribbean … No to regime change … No to coups d’etat,” Maduro said. He spoke during a committee session set up after US warships were deployed for what Washington described as an anti-drug mission. Trump’s confirmation about the CIA aligns with reports from the New York Times, which detailed a classified directive on the operation. The US president said his administration was “looking at land” as it considers further strikes in the region. When asked if the CIA had the authority to capture Maduro, he declined to answer. “I think Venezuela is feeling heat,” Trump added, repeating claims that the country had released prisoners into the US, including from mental health facilities. He also accused Venezuela of sending large amounts of drugs into the United States by sea, though experts have questioned these assertions. Earlier this month, the Trump administration declared the US was in “armed conflict” with drug cartels, framing the military actions as necessary to curb drug trafficking. The announcement sparked criticism in Congress. Lawmakers from both parties expressed concern that Trump was committing acts of war without congressional approval. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the administration’s actions “slide the United States closer to outright conflict with no transparency, oversight, or apparent guardrails.” She emphasized that the public deserves to know if the US is entering another conflict and risking servicemembers’ lives. At least 27 people have been killed in the Caribbean attacks so far. Following another strike on a boat, Maduro ordered military exercises in Venezuela’s largest shantytowns. He called on the military, police, and civilian militias to protect the country’s “mountains, coasts, schools, hospitals, factories, and markets.” Trump labeled the targeted groups as “narcoterrorists” and linked them to the Tren de Aragua gang, though the White House has not provided concrete proof. UN experts have said that the strikes violate international law, and some US lawmakers have called the attacks “illegal killings.” Earlier this year, the Trump administration used alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua gang to accelerate deportations of Venezuelans to a notorious prison in El Salvador. Trump has also pushed to end temporary legal protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans in the US. Trump has accused Maduro of leading a drug cartel, which the Venezuelan president denies. In August, the US doubled a bounty for information leading to Maduro’s capture to $50 million. Maduro is also widely accused of rigging last year’s elections. The situation signals a significant rise in tensions between the US and Venezuela, raising fears of broader conflict in the Caribbean. Analysts warn that without clear oversight, further operations could escalate into a full-scale confrontation.