Is Trump planning a covert Venezuela operation while talking to Maduro?

US President Donald Trump has indicated that he has finalised decisions about covert operations inside Venezuela.

“I sort of have made up my mind, yeah. I mean, I can’t tell you what it would be but I sort of have,” said Trump.

But Trump added that the administration may still hold talks with Nicolo Maduro’s regime as he thinks the Venezuelan ruler “would like to talk”.

The United States currently has around 15,000 troops, 12 warships, and more than 50 fighter planes in the international waters around Venezuela — the largest build-up in the region since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Analysts say there are indications that Trump may order strikes as early as next week.

The Trump administration has announced that the terrorist designation of ‘Cartel de los Soles’ will be effective on Monday. As it has already declared Maduro as the cartel’s head, the designation will clear the way for military strikes as it will essentially declare the vast majority of Venezuelan government as drug cartel.

But analysts have long said that the ‘Cartel de los Soles’ is likely not a real organised group. It is a general term that media and analysts have used to refer to the broader narcotics ecosystem in Venezuela instead of any specific cartel.

ALSO READ: Trump has sent warships to battle Venezuela’s ‘Soles’ cartel. But it may not even exist.

Previously, there have been reports that Trump has been presented with various military options regarding Venezuela. These options are said to range from airstrikes on strategic sites and a land invasion to special forces missions to capture or kill Maduro.

What will Trump do in Venezuela?

Trump has approved Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) covert measures inside Venezuela, according to The New York Times.

These CIA operations could be meant to prepare a battlefield for further action, sources told The Times.

At the same time, sources said that Trump has authorised a new round of back-channel negotiations with Maduro.

In previous rounds of such talks, Maduro had offered to step down in two to three years as Venezuela transitioned away from his rule, but the proposal was rejected by White House, according to sources.

ALSO READ: Trump calls Maduro a cartel kingpin, but neither UN nor US names Venezuela in drug reports

There were no specific details of covert operations or whether they would be acted upon.

The Times reported that Trump has not yet authorised combat operations inside Venezuela, but this could mean that the next phase of operations —possibly after Monday when the Soles cartel destination will be effective— could combine ground action.

There is no clarity about the outcome that Trump wants in Venezuela.

Sources told The Times that Trump could agree to a deal for greater access to the Venezuelan oil or Maduro voluntarily giving up power. They also said that he could decide to forcibly remove Maduro as well.