Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ordered the mobilisation of 25,000 troops to border regions with Colombia and along the nation’s Caribbean coast, in a new escalation following the deployment of U.S. warships near Venezuelan territorial waters.
In a statement released via social media, Maduro said the forces would be stationed in the “Bilateral Peace Zone” on the Colombian border, across the Caribbean coastline that houses the country’s largest oil refineries, and on the eastern coast near the Orinoco Delta close to Guyana.
Maduro emphasised that the deployment aims to “protect sovereignty, defend national security, and struggle for peace.”
Rising Tensions With the United States
The move comes amid sharp tensions with Washington. Last Thursday, two Venezuelan military jets flew over a U.S. Navy vessel in the Caribbean, an incident the Pentagon labelled a “highly provocative act.”
The United States has recently:
- Deployed warships to the Caribbean.
- Sent 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory.
- Justified its buildup under the banner of the “war on drug trafficking.”
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to shoot down Venezuelan aircraft if they posed a threat to U.S. naval forces, which Washington insists are conducting counter-narcotics operations.
American officials also suggested the possibility of airstrikes on sites inside Venezuela allegedly linked to drug networks. Trump refused to confirm or deny such plans, telling reporters before attending the U.S. Open tennis tournament:
“You’ll find out.”
“Narco-Terrorists” and Escalating Rhetoric
Last week, the U.S. Navy announced that it had bombed a boat loaded with drugs that departed Venezuela toward the United States, killing 11 people. Trump described the victims as “narco-terrorists.”
The Venezuelan armed forces are estimated to include 123,000 regular troops and 220,000 militia members, many of whom have already been mobilised. The new call-up is expected to further reinforce the country’s defensive posture.
Regional Reactions
The U.S. military presence has triggered criticism from Latin American leaders. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, speaking Monday during an emergency virtual BRICS summit hosted by Brazil, condemned Washington’s actions:
“The U.S. deployment in the Caribbean is a factor of tension that contradicts the peaceful character of our region.”
What’s at Stake
This standoff highlights the fragile balance in Latin America, where Venezuela — under heavy U.S. sanctions — seeks to assert sovereignty while Washington uses the pretext of “narcotics control” to extend its military footprint.
For Caracas, the mobilisation is framed as a defensive struggle against imperial aggression. For Washington, the moves are portrayed as part of a broader security campaign.
Yet for the wider region, the escalation risks igniting a conflict with far-reaching consequences for peace, sovereignty, and stability in the Americas.
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