WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has authorized the US Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, a move that was decried by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump accused Caracas of releasing prisoners and mental patients to cross into the United States illegally and of smuggling large volumes of narcotics.

"They have emptied their prisons into the United States of America," and "allowed thousands and thousands of prisoners" and "people from mental institutions, insane asylums", Trump accused, without offering evidence.

Asked whether he had authorized the CIA to kill Maduro, Trump refused to answer, saying, "I think Venezuela is feeling heat."

Trump added that his administration is considering strikes against Venezuela on land. "We are certainly looking at land now because we've got the sea very well under control," he said.

Shortly after Trump's comments, Maduro decried what he called "coups d'etat orchestrated by the CIA".

According to The New York Times, the new authorization allows the CIA to conduct lethal missions in Venezuela and the Caribbean, as well as to coordinate with broader US military operations in the region.

Officials with the Trump administration "have been clear, privately, that the end goal is to drive Mr Maduro from power," reported the newspaper, adding that roughly 10,000 US troops, eight warships, and one submarine are currently deployed in the Caribbean, mostly based in Puerto Rico.

Since September, the White House has announced five US strikes that destroyed five alleged drug-trafficking boats in the international waters near Venezuela, killing 27 people aboard in total.

Earlier this month, the White House informed Congress that the US is engaged in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels designated as terrorist groups, without naming them.

While some cocaine leaves South America through Venezuela, the country is not a main source of US-bound drugs, according to a 2020 report from the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Maduro has repeatedly condemned Washington's actions.

Historically, the CIA has been involved in numerous coups and covert operations across Latin America.

Venezuela's government said Trump's remarks constituted a violation of international law and said US actions were aimed at legitimizing a "regime change "operation with the goal of seizing the country's oil resources.

"Our Permanent Mission to the UN will raise this complaint with the Security Council and the Secretary-General tomorrow, demanding accountability from the United States government," Venezuela said in a statement released by Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on his Telegram account.