Venezuela has announced a large-scale military mobilization in response to the increasing presence of US warships and troops in the Caribbean Sea. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López stated that land, air, naval, and reserve forces will conduct exercises through Wednesday, framing the deployment as a defensive measure against what he termed the “imperialist threat” posed by the US. The exercises will also involve the Bolivarian Militia, a civilian reserve force established by the late President Hugo Chávez and named after Simon Bolivar, the revolutionary leader of Latin American independence. Padrino López emphasized that the operation, directly ordered by President Nicolas Maduro, aims to enhance command, control, and communications while safeguarding national sovereignty. This move comes amid escalating tensions between the two nations, as the US continues to bolster its military presence in the region. The US Navy recently announced the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford, America’s largest aircraft carrier, in the US Southern Command area of operations, which encompasses most of Latin America. The carrier strike group includes nine air squadrons, two guided missile destroyers, an integrated air and missile defense command ship, and over 4,000 sailors. The US has justified its military build-up as part of efforts to combat drug trafficking, conducting strikes on alleged drug boats in recent weeks. However, Venezuelan officials suspect the US is pursuing regime change, a strategy some Trump administration officials have privately acknowledged. Last month, President Trump authorized CIA operations in Venezuela and hinted at potential military strikes, though administration officials later clarified that no such actions are currently planned. Padrino López linked the Venezuelan military deployment to Maduro’s “Independence Plan 200,” a civic-military strategy aimed at mobilizing conventional forces alongside militias and police to defend the nation. Venezuela’s Bolivarian National Armed Forces comprise approximately 123,000 members, with Maduro claiming over 8 million reservists in the volunteer militias, though experts question the accuracy of these figures and the troops’ training quality. The US military presence in the region now includes around 15,000 personnel, with significant naval assets such as the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, and advanced aircraft like F-35 fighter jets and MQ-9 Reaper drones deployed to Puerto Rico. US bombers have also conducted training missions near the Venezuelan coast, including an “attack demonstration” in late October.
Venezuela announces ‘massive mobilization’ of military forces as America’s largest warship sails into region
