Venezuela Activates 'Independence Plan' To Protect Strategic Assets As Tensions With U.S. Escalate

Venezuela's authoritarian government activated its "Independence Plan 200," a series of drills aimed at protecting strategic assets as tensions with the U.S. continue to escalate.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the plan is a result of the "siege being conducted by the North American imperialists." "Venezuela is mobilizing in an organized manner," he added.

Cabello went on to say that Venezuelans are "peaceful" but warned that they have been "actively" preparing "in all fronts to resist, for as long as needed, from the attacks that want to be conducted on the country."

Authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro, on his end, said the drill involves "27 tasks to accomplish and ensure the protection of La Guaira and Carabobo's Integral Defense Zone."

The drills come days after U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly ended all diplomatic outreach to Venezuela, instructing envoy Richard Grenell to cease all efforts as he grows frustrated with Maduro's reluctance to relinquish poswer.

Trump is also frustrated that Maduro keeps rejecting any ties with drug cartels, The New York Times reported. Officials told the outlet that the administration has drawn up multiple military plans for an eventual escalation.

So far, the U.S. military has conducted at least four strikes on vessels it claimed were trafficking drugs that would ultimately end up in the U.S. However, some of the new plans could also seek the ousting of Maduro, the outlet added.

A White House official told the New York Times that Trump is prepared to use "every element of American power" to stop drugs from entering the country. In this context, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that those who are north of Venezuela and intend to traffic drugs into the U.S. will be considered a legitimate target by the U.S. military.

Moreover, the Department of Justice released a secret opinion justifying strikes against cartels and suspected drug traffickers, according to another report.

Concretely, the opinion issued by the Office of Legal Counsel claims that President Donald Trump is allowed to authorize deadly force against the targets because they pose an imminent threat to Americans, CNN reported.

The outlet quoted legal experts who said the opinion is significant because it appears to justify an open-ended war against secret enemies. It also allows him to have them summarily killed without legal review, in contrast with past cases in which they got due process rights.