Venezuela has placed its armed forces on high alert and ordered a nationwide military mobilisation in response to a growing US naval presence in the Caribbean.
Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez announced on Tuesday (local time) that nearly 200,000 personnel from the army, navy, air force, and reserves had been put on full operational readiness and instructed to conduct extensive war drills through Wednesday to test the country’s defensive capabilities.
The move follows confirmation from the US Navy that the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, accompanied by three warships, has entered the US Southern Command region, which encompasses most of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Ford—the Navy’s largest and most advanced carrier—was redeployed from Europe as part of a mission Washington says is aimed at combating drug trafficking. Its arrival reportedly raises the total US military footprint in the region to around 15,000 personnel.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Venezuela of supporting “narcoterrorists,” and has suggested he may authorise strikes on Venezuelan territory. US forces have already conducted at least 19 deadly strikes on vessels suspected of smuggling drugs since September, incidents that have left more than 70 people dead, according to media reports.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has dismissed the narcotics allegations as a pretext for a potential US-led regime-change operation, accusing Washington of “fabricating a new war.” He posted images of Venezuela’s military exercises on social media, declaring that the nation was prepared to defend itself “on any terrain and under any circumstances.”
Reuters reported that Venezuelan planning documents suggest the country is also preparing guerrilla-style resistance tactics should the US attempt a ground or air assault.
How does Vietnam 2.0 grab ya Trump? These people are not a push over.