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The presidential finding grants the CIA lethal authority to operate directly inside Venezuela, either independently or in coordination with U.S. military units. While official statements have not disclosed specific missions, possibilities range from intelligence gathering for counternarcotics efforts to targeted actions against Maduro’s regime or the criminal networks it allegedly sponsors.
This development represents a legal and strategic turning point, transitioning from covert surveillance to potential direct military or special operations engagement. The authorized actions are rooted in framing the problem as a matter of naroterrorism—a concept the White House advocates to justify aggressive measures, linking drug cartels with state-sponsored terrorism in Venezuela.