By Andrea Shalal, Idrees Ali and Erin Banco
West Palm Beach — President Donald Trump has confirmed that the US “hit” an area in Venezuela where boats are loaded with drugs, marking the first known time Washington has carried out land operations in Venezuela since a pressure campaign began against President Nicolas Maduro’s government.
“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump said late on Monday. “We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area ... it’s the implementation area. That’s where they implement, and that is no longer around.”
It was not immediately clear what target was hit nor which part of the US government acted.
Asked whether the CIA had carried out the attack, Trump said, “I don’t want to say that. I know exactly who it was but I don’t want to say who it was.”
CNN, citing sources, reported on Monday that the CIA had carried out a drone strike earlier this month on a port facility on the coast of Venezuela. The strike targeted a remote dock that the US believed was being used by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to store drugs and move them onto boats for onward shipping, according to CNN.
Trump has previously said that he has authorised the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela.
On a radio show last week, Trump made vague comments about an apparent US operation against a “big facility” in Venezuela.
The CIA, the White House and the Pentagon have not publicly elaborated on those comments and declined to comment on questions posed by Reuters. The Venezuelan government has not commented on the incident Trump described and there have been no independent reports from Venezuela of it.
Primazol, a chemical plant in Zulia state that suffered a fire on Christmas Eve, has denied online rumours that the blaze was what Trump alluded to in his comments. The company also said the fire was quickly extinguished and is under investigation. Nearby residents told Reuters they heard an explosion, saw the fire and smelt chlorine.
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The Venezuelan communications ministry, which handles all press requests for the government, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump’s administration has previously touted its success in taking out suspected drug trafficking vessels, and the Pentagon has posted footage of several of its strikes on social media.
The lack of response by US national security agencies had raised questions about whether the incident Trump mentioned was carried out covertly. Such an operation would likely limit the ability of US officials to speak on the matter.
Last month, Reuters reported that the US was poised to launch a new phase of Venezuelan-related operations, as the Trump administration escalates pressure on Maduro’s government. At the time, two US officials said covert operations are likely to be the first part of the new action against Maduro.
The US mission has primarily focused on military strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels and has prompted intense oversight from Congress. At least 100 people have been killed in more than 20 strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
Earlier this month, US military leaders briefed legislators on an incident in September in which an American strike killed 11 people but left several survivors who were killed in a second strike ordered by Frank Bradley, a US Navy admiral.
Congressional Democrats have questioned whether the second strike was conducted in accordance with international law.
Trump’s administration has overseen a massive US military buildup in the Caribbean, including more than 15,000 troops.
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