Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ordered the deployment of 25,000 troops to strategic locations across the Caribbean coast and the border with Colombia, in response to mounting tensions with the United States.
In a statement shared on social media Sunday night, President Maduro said the troops—members of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces have been positioned to secure the northeastern coastal region, home to Venezuela’s largest oil refineries, and to reinforce defenses along the Colombian border.
“25,000 men and women from our glorious armed forces have been deployed to defend national sovereignty, guarantee national security, and maintain peace,” Maduro declared.
Although he did not mention U.S. President Donald Trump directly, the move comes amid increasing hostility between Caracas and Washington, especially following the largest U.S naval buildup in the Caribbean in years.
Last week, U.S. forces reportedly destroyed a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the Caribbean, killing all 11 individuals on board. President Trump claimed the vessel was linked to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal group.
However, critics have pointed out the lack of concrete evidence to support this claim.
In a further escalation, Trump has warned that Venezuelan military aircraft could be shot down if they threaten U.S forces, after two Venezuelan fighter jets reportedly flew close to a U.S Navy ship operating in international waters.
Venezuela’s regular armed forces consist of about 123,000 personnel, according to military estimates.
In addition to this, Maduro says 220,000 civilians have signed up to be part of a civilian militia, indicating a significant increase in military mobilization.
While Washington says its operations in the region are aimed at curbing drug trafficking, Venezuela has denounced the moves as a threat to its sovereignty and a provocation aimed at destabilizing the Maduro government.
