President Donald Trump has reportedly authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations in Venezuela as part of an expanded U.S. strategy to combat narcotics trafficking in Latin America, according to a report published Wednesday by The New York Times.

The authorization, described by anonymous U.S. officials, reportedly allows the CIA to take lethal action in Venezuela and the Caribbean region.

The directive would enable the agency to target Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his administration either independently or as part of a broader U.S. military effort, as The Daily Caller reported.

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It remains unclear whether any direct operations have been planned or executed under the authorization, or whether it serves as a contingency measure.

The report comes as part of a wider campaign led by the Trump administration against international drug networks.

In recent months, the U.S. has increased maritime and aerial patrols in the Caribbean to intercept narcotics shipments and has carried out targeted strikes on boats tied to organizations designated as terrorist-linked narcotics traffickers.

On Tuesday, President Trump confirmed a new strike on a vessel reportedly connected to a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO). “We’re targeting narcoterrorist operations that pose a direct threat to the United States,” the President said in a brief statement following the operation.

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The CIA’s expanded authority in the region coincides with other reports of possible U.S. military involvement in Venezuela. NBC News previously reported that senior defense officials were considering targeted actions against drug traffickers within Venezuelan borders.

Some officials have also indicated that the administration is exploring options to increase pressure on the Maduro regime.

Maduro has denounced U.S. actions and vowed to retaliate if attacked. “If the gringos threaten us, we will work harder. If the gringos attack, we will respond, but nothing will stop our work,” Maduro said in comments published by El País on October 9.

According to CBS News, Maduro ordered the deployment of additional Venezuelan troops along the country’s Caribbean coastline and near its border with Colombia in September.

The move came after the U.S. military increased its presence in the region, deploying naval and air assets to interdict drug shipments bound for North America.

While the CIA has long cooperated with regional partners on intelligence and counter-narcotics operations, The New York Times report noted that the agency previously lacked authority to conduct direct lethal actions in Latin America.

The new authorization marks a significant policy shift, expanding the scope of U.S. intelligence activities in the Western Hemisphere.

The CIA declined to comment when contacted by the Daily Caller.