Trump calls for military intervention in two Latin American countries against drug cartels: “I'm not saying I'm going to do it, but I'd be proud to do it”

President Donald Trump said on Monday that he supports the use of aggressive actions against drug cartels and narcotics production in Mexico and Colombia, but stopped short of announcing direct military intervention by the United States, reports Reuters.

Trump has stepped up his campaign against maritime drug trafficking, authorizing crackdowns and giving the military expanded authority to detain or sink ships suspected of carrying drugs.

Asked by reporters if he would support similar ground strikes in Mexico to curb drug trafficking, Trump said: “That's fine with me, whatever it takes to stop the drugs.”

He then raised the possibility of targeting cocaine labs in Colombia. “If I were to take them out? I would be proud to do it personally. I'm not saying I would, but I would be proud to do it because we would save millions of lives,” Trump said.

According to AFP, Trump also raised the possibility of American intervention in Venezuela, but for other reasons, related to the large number of Venezuelans who have illegally immigrated to the United States.

Asked if he ruled out sending US troops to Venezuela, Trump said: “No, I don't rule out that possibility, I don't rule out anything.”

“We simply have to deal with Venezuela,” he added, denouncing the fact that “they have thrown hundreds of thousands of people from prisons into our country.”