Caracas (BN24) – Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Monday that his country was on “maximum preparedness” to defend itself against a growing U.S. military presence in the Caribbean, warning that any attack would be met with force.
Speaking at a press conference in Caracas, Maduro characterized the U.S. deployment as “extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal,” accusing Washington of using drug cartels as a pretext to escalate tensions in the region.
His comments came as the United States increased its maritime operations in Latin American waters to counter narcotics trafficking. The U.S. Navy currently has multiple guided-missile destroyers and a cruiser stationed near Venezuela, with additional amphibious assault ships — carrying more than 4,000 sailors and Marines — set to enter the region this week, according to a U.S. defense official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
While U.S. officials have not indicated any plans for a land incursion, Maduro’s government has already moved troops to Venezuela’s Caribbean coast and its border with Colombia. The president also urged civilians to join militias, saying the country must be ready to mobilize if necessary.
“In the face of this maximum military pressure, we have declared maximum preparedness for the defense of Venezuela,” Maduro said. He added that if the U.S. attacked, he would declare a “republic in arms,” though he did not elaborate on what such a declaration would entail.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil echoed Maduro’s warnings, accusing Washington of fabricating a narrative to justify its deployment. Citing a U.N. report, Gil argued that the majority of cocaine produced in Colombia departs through the Pacific, with only a small percentage moving through Venezuela. “This deployment threatens the entire region,” he said during a virtual meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, urging countries to demand its withdrawal.
The military escalation coincides with President Donald Trump’s push to intensify efforts against drug cartels, which he blames for fueling the fentanyl crisis and gang-related violence in the United States. The White House has framed the expanded naval presence as part of a broader strategy to target transnational criminal organizations.
Maduro, however, warned that any U.S. military action against Venezuela would have grave consequences. “President Donald Trump, the pursuit of regime change is exhausted; it has failed as a policy worldwide,” Maduro said. “You cannot pretend to impose a situation in Venezuela. Any intervention will stain your hands with blood.”
The Venezuelan leader, sworn in for a third six-year term in January despite widespread allegations of election fraud, claimed his government still maintains direct channels of communication with Washington. He said one line is through the U.S. State Department and another through Trump’s envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell.
Maduro also lashed out at U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, labeling him a “warlord” who is pushing for confrontation in the Caribbean. Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has welcomed the U.S. deployment, describing it as “the right approach” and urging continued international pressure on Maduro to step down.
Despite his defiance, Maduro remains deeply isolated internationally, with many nations refusing to recognize him as Venezuela’s legitimate president. Still, he framed the U.S. buildup as proof of Venezuela’s strength and resilience.
“This is a sovereign nation,” he said. “We will defend it at all costs.”
