Maduro Accuses US of Plotting Coup After CIA Operations Approved in Venezuela

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has accused the United States of attempting to orchestrate a coup against his government, following reports that former U.S. President **Donald Trump** had authorized CIA operations in Venezuela aimed at combating drug trafficking. The revelation has reignited tensions between Caracas and Washington, two nations whose diplomatic relations have been strained for over a decade.

In a televised address, Maduro denounced the move as a direct assault on Venezuela’s sovereignty, calling it “a renewed act of imperial aggression under the guise of anti-narcotics efforts.” He alleged that the CIA’s operations were not about drug control but part of a wider plan to destabilize the country and remove him from power.

According to international media reports, the CIA was granted authority to conduct covert missions inside Venezuela to dismantle drug trafficking networks allegedly linked to senior members of the government. U.S. officials have long accused Maduro’s administration of enabling narcotics smuggling to fund its political machinery — claims that Caracas has consistently dismissed as “fabricated propaganda.”

Maduro warned that any foreign interference would be met with resistance, asserting that Venezuela’s security forces were on high alert to defend national interests. “We will not bow to foreign powers or their intelligence agencies,” he said, accusing the U.S. of violating international law and attempting to manipulate global opinion through misinformation.

Political observers say the renewed dispute could further isolate Venezuela on the international stage while deepening anti-U.S. sentiment within the region. Washington has maintained sanctions on Venezuela since 2019, citing human rights violations and corruption, while Maduro’s government has increasingly aligned itself with Russia, China, and Iran in response.

Analysts also note that the CIA’s involvement marks a significant escalation in the U.S. approach toward Venezuela, moving from diplomatic pressure to potential covert operations. Human rights groups have urged caution, warning that such actions could fuel instability and humanitarian suffering in a nation already grappling with economic collapse and mass migration.

As both nations trade accusations, the controversy underscores the ongoing geopolitical rivalry between the U.S. and Latin America’s socialist bloc. Maduro, who has faced multiple coup attempts since taking office in 2013, vowed that Venezuela “will not be another pawn in Washington’s chess game.”

The U.S. government has not yet issued an official response to Maduro’s claims, but the development signals a renewed flashpoint in a long-standing confrontation one that could reshape power dynamics across the region.