Venezuela's defense minister said any CIA operation against his country "will fail," after Trump authorized covert action against the South American nation.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, marking a sharp escalation in U.S. efforts to pressure President Nicolas Maduro's government.

Venezuela’s defense minister warned Thursday that any CIA operation targeting the country “will fail,” as U.S. President Donald Trump

Venezuela's defence minister said Thursday any CIA operation against his country "will fail," after United States (US) President Donald Trump authorised covert action against the South American country.

We are confident that Venezuela…will once again overcome the threats and actions of the empire,’ says President Miguel Diaz-Canel - Anadolu Ajansı

Since September, the US Southern Command has conducted strikes against at least five boats in the Caribbean near Venezuelan coasts, killing 27 people, claiming that they were carrying drugs to the US and belonged to designated terrorist organizations. The last strike was announced Tuesday by Trump via Truth Social, in which six crewmen were killed.

An expert at the Cato Institute says of U.S. military and CIA operations on alleged Venezuela drug routes: “I don’t think it has hardly any impact at all. It’ll screw things up for