Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has mobilised 4.5 million civilian fighters in response to a major U.S. military deployment near Latin America and the Caribbean.
Speaking to local officials from his ruling coalition, Maduro described the move as a strategy to safeguard national sovereignty against what he labelled as "U.S. threats of war".
His plan includes strengthening both rural and urban rebel groups and forming combat units within factories and workplaces. He called the approach a "perfect fusion of people, police and armed forces".
The announcement follows a sharp escalation in rhetoric between Caracas and Washington. Earlier this month, U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi offered a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest over alleged ties to international drug trafficking. Maduro has dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.
Meanwhile, U.S. defence officials confirmed the deployment of more than 4,000 Marines and sailors to the region. The naval package includes the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a nuclear-powered attack submarine, among other assets. While their specific destination remains undisclosed.
Pentagon sources say the buildup enhances President Donald Trump’s strategic options against cartels designated as narco-terrorists.
Officials insist the deployment is designed as a deterrent, not a precursor to military action. However, questions remain about the readiness of U.S. forces for counter-narcotics missions, with defence sources noting that Marines lack specialised training in such operations and would need to coordinate with the U.S. Coast Guard for interdiction tasks.
The simultaneous military moves have fuelled regional anxieties, as both sides frame their actions as defensive while accusing the other of escalating tensions.
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