Venezuela Launches “Massive Mobilization” of Military Forces in Response to US Build-Up in Caribbean
(CNN) – Venezuela announced it is initiating a “massive mobilization” of military personnel, weapons, and equipment in reaction to the increasing presence of US warships and troops in the Caribbean Sea.
According to Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, land, air, naval, and reserve forces will conduct exercises through Wednesday. He described the deployment as a direct response to what he termed the “imperialist threat” posed by the US build-up.
The military drills will not only involve regular armed forces but also the Bolivarian Militia — a reserve force composed of civilians. This militia was established by the late President Hugo Chávez and is named after Simon Bolivar, the revolutionary leader who secured independence for several Latin American countries from Spain.
Padrino López stated that the order came directly from Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and emphasized that the exercise aims to “optimize command, control, and communications” to strengthen the country’s defense.
The announcement comes amid rising tensions between the two nations as the US military presence continues to grow in the region. On Tuesday, the US Navy confirmed that the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford — America’s largest warship — had arrived in the US Southern Command’s operational area, which covers most of Latin America.
The United States maintains that this build-up is focused on combating drug trafficking and curbing the flow of narcotics into the US, having conducted strikes against numerous alleged drug boats in recent weeks. However, Caracas views the US actions as an attempt to enforce regime change in Venezuela. Some officials from the Trump administration have privately acknowledged that their strategy involves removing Maduro from power.
Last month, former President Trump revealed he had authorized the CIA to operate in Venezuela. He has also suggested at times that strikes inside the country were under consideration, although administration officials have since clarified that such actions are not currently planned.
In his statement on Tuesday, Padrino López framed Venezuela’s military deployment as part of Maduro’s broader “Independence Plan 200.” This initiative is a civic-military strategy aimed at mobilizing conventional forces alongside militias and police to protect the nation.
Venezuela’s conventional military, known as the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, comprises approximately 123,000 members. President Maduro has claimed that the volunteer militias now include over 8 million reservists, though experts have questioned both the accuracy of this figure and the training quality of these troops.
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