In late 2025, President Trump authorized CIA covert operations inside Venezuela as part of a sharp escalation against criminal and regime networks linked to drug trafficking and instability. U.S. forces carried out strikes on vessels and facilities tied to narcotics flows and increased pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government through sustained military and intelligence activity. On January 3, 2026, a high stakes U.S. military operation—supported by special operations forces and extensive airpower