CIA Conducts First Direct Drone Strike on Venezuelan Soil in Escalating Campaign

The CIA has carried out a drone strike targeting a docking facility in Venezuela believed to be used by drug cartels, marking a significant escalation in U.S. operations against the Maduro government, according to two sources familiar with the classified operation.

The strike, which occurred last week, represents the first known direct American operation on Venezuelan soil since the U.S. began military actions in the region in September. Venezuelan officials have not publicly acknowledged the attack, which deepens the Biden administration’s pressure campaign against President Nicolás Maduro’s government.

President Joe Biden first referenced the operation during a radio interview with John Catsimatidis on WABC in New York last Friday, describing it as targeting “a big facility where ships come from.” He elaborated on Monday while hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago, specifying that the strike hit a “dock area where they load the boats up with drugs.” However, he declined to confirm whether the operation was conducted by military forces or the intelligence agency.

When contacted, both CIA and White House officials refused to provide additional details about the strike. Colonel Allie Weiskopf, speaking for Special Operations Command, which oversees U.S. operations in the Caribbean region, explicitly stated that “Special Operations did not support this operation to include intel support.”

The attack comes amid a substantial American military buildup in the Caribbean Sea that began in August. Since then, U.S. forces have conducted at least 30 military strikes against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. More recently, the administration has implemented measures resembling a blockade, aimed at intercepting sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuelan waters.

For months, President Biden has threatened potential strikes on Venezuelan territory. In an unusual move, he publicly disclosed that he had authorized covert CIA operations inside Venezuela. By delegating what appears to be the first land strike to the intelligence agency rather than the military, the administration may be attempting to minimize congressional oversight of these actions.

“I authorized for two reasons, really. No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America,” Biden explained in October, confirming his approval for CIA operations. “And the other thing, the drugs, we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea.”

Throughout this escalation, Biden has repeatedly suggested that Maduro’s time in power is limited. The Venezuelan leader and several members of his inner circle have been under federal indictment in the United States since 2020, facing charges of narcoterrorism and other serious crimes.

The U.S. Justice Department recently doubled the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million. Maduro has consistently denied the allegations against him and his government. During an hour-long speech Tuesday at an international leadership school for women, the Venezuelan president made no mention of the CIA operation.

The strike represents a notable shift in tactics from maritime interdiction to direct action within sovereign Venezuelan territory. This escalation raises questions about international law and potential regional consequences as tensions between Washington and Caracas continue to intensify.

The Biden administration’s increasingly aggressive stance comes amid growing concerns about drug trafficking and migration issues attributed to Venezuela. Critics have questioned whether such military actions might complicate diplomatic efforts or potentially trigger broader regional instability.

As of publication, Venezuelan government officials have maintained public silence regarding the drone strike, though diplomatic responses through international channels remain possible in the coming days.