By Erin Banco and Idrees Ali
NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Officials in Washington and Caracas remained silent on Monday about President Donald Trump's vague comments on a radio show last week about an apparent U.S. operation against a "big facility" in Venezuela, leaving questions about which part of the U.S. government acted and what target was hit.
Trump made the comments on Friday, December 26 in an interview with John Catsimatidis, a billionaire talk show host, on the WABC radio station
in New York. They were discussing Washington's campaign to target vessels in the Caribbean and off the coast of Venezuela suspected of trafficking drugs to the U.S.
"They have a big plant or a big facility where the ships come from,” Trump said on the radio show. “Two nights ago we knocked that out.”
If Trump's statement is accurate, it would mark the first known U.S. land attack related to the administration’s campaign against Venezuela.
Trump did not say which facility the U.S. had targeted, nor did he make clear if this operation was conducted by a branch of the military or some other entity. Trump has previously said that he has authorized the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela.
The Central Intelligence Agency, the White House and the Pentagon have not publicly elaborated on Trump’s comments and declined to comment on questions posed by Reuters. It is unusual for the administration to decline to address questions related to on-the-record statements made by Trump, especially about Venezuela.
The Venezuelan government has not commented on the incident Trump described and there have been no independent reports from Venezuela of it.
The administration has previously touted its success in taking out suspected drug trafficking vessels. The Pentagon has even posted footage of several of its strikes on social media.
The lack of response by U.S. national security agencies raises questions about whether the incident Trump mentioned was carried out covertly. Such an operation would likely limit the ability of U.S. officials to speak on the matter.
PRESSURE ON MADURO
Last month Reuters reported that the U.S. was poised to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations, as the Trump administration escalates pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government.
At the time, two U.S. officials said covert operations would likely be the first part of the new action against Maduro.
The U.S. mission has primarily focused on military strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels and has prompted intense oversight from Congress. More than 100 people have been killed in more than 20 strikes in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
Earlier this month, U.S. military leaders briefed lawmakers on an incident in September in which an American strike killed 11 people but left several survivors. They were killed in a second strike ordered by Admiral Frank Bradley.
Democrats on Capitol Hill have questioned whether the second strike was conducted in accordance with international law.
Trump's comments come amid a massive U.S. military build up in the Caribbean, including more than 15,000 troops.
(Reporting by Erin Banco in New York and Idrees Ali; Editing by Humeyra Pamuk and David Gregorio)
