Trump denies plans for military strikes inside Venezuela

US President Donald Trump explicitly denied reports of planned military strikes inside Venezuela on Friday, stating he had made no such decision. When questioned aboard Air Force One about whether he was considering attacks within the South American nation, Trump responded, "Not, it's not true."

Reports of Potential Military Action

The denial followed widespread reports from US media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and Miami Herald, which indicated that the Trump administration was preparing strikes on Venezuelan military installations. These alleged plans were framed as part of a broader effort to combat "narco-terrorism" and disrupt a drug-trafficking network the US accuses of smuggling hundreds of tons of cocaine annually.

International Condemnation and Legal Challenges

The reported plans had drawn criticism from international rights groups and legal experts who questioned their legality under international law. UN human rights chief Volker Turk had previously described similar US military actions as "unacceptable" and called for independent investigations into what his office characterized as extrajudicial killings.

Venezuelan Response and Accusations

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has consistently accused Washington of fabricating a pretext for war against his country, dismissing the US allegations as "vulgar" and "totally fake." He has insisted that Venezuela does not produce cocaine and has interpreted US military movements near its coast as signaling plans for a prolonged conflict.