The Global Story - Why has Trump authorised CIA action in Venezuela?
Download Why has Trump authorised CIA action in Venezuela?
On Wednesday, President Trump confirmed that he has authorised the CIA to take covert lethal action in Venezuela. The revelation came off the back of a series of US strikes on Venezuelan boats accused of transporting drugs in the Caribbean Sea, which resulted in the death of 27 people in what some human rights experts are calling "extrajudicial executions".
The US military operation has the region on edge, leaving analysts wondering whether this is just part of a new war on drugs, or a push to bring down the Maduro regime. The BBC's Will Grant briefs us on these latest developments, and the CIA's history in Latin America.
Producers: Viv Jones and Valerio Esposito
Editor: Annie Brown and James Shield
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Image: Miguel Gutierrez/Shutterstock
Published on Friday, 17th October 2025.
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