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Venezuela’s illegitimately elected President Nicolás Maduro has vowed that the United States will not succeed in invading his country.
Getting into it: Speaking before military troops and broadcast on state media, Maduro dismissed the growing US military presence in the Caribbean. He said, “There’s no way they can enter Venezuela. Today, we are stronger than yesterday. Today, we are more prepared to defend peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
His remarks followed the US deployment of seven warships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, to waters near Venezuela under what US officials claim is an anti-narcotics operation. Maduro and his officials, however, view the move as an act of aggression and a potential pretext for military intervention. Venezuela’s ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Moncada, described the buildup as a “massive propaganda operation” intended to justify what he called “kinetic action” against a sovereign state.
In response, Venezuela has launched a multi-pronged defense initiative. The government has mobilized 15,000 troops to its western border with Colombia, citing the need to combat drug trafficking and criminal groups. At sea, Venezuelan warships and surveillance drones are now actively patrolling the nation’s coastline. Domestically, the government has kicked off a militia recruitment campaign, calling on citizens to join the ranks. Thousands have reportedly signed up, with Maduro urging Venezuelans to unite against what he described as “outlandish threats” from Washington.
Maduro also took diplomatic action by sending a formal letter to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. In the letter, he condemned the US military buildup as a violation of international law and a direct threat to regional peace. He warned that the presence of nuclear-capable assets in the region breaches the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which prohibits nuclear weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean. He urged the UN to intervene and called for “the immediate cessation of hostile actions” by the United States.
This comes as the Trump administration recently doubled the reward for Maduro’s capture to $50 million, accusing him of leading a drug trafficking organization, the Cártel de los Soles, which it has labeled a terrorist organization.
