CARACAS – Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has issued a strong warning to the United States, declaring that his nation will retaliate if attacked and has mobilized millions of militia members to defend the country’s sovereignty. The announcement comes amid heightened tensions and a U.S. military build-up in the Caribbean.
In a series of recent speeches, Maduro stated that Venezuela is at “maximum preparedness” and would declare a “republic in arms” in the event of a U.S. military incursion. He has overseen military drills and ordered the deployment of armed forces across the country, while also calling on citizens to enlist in the Bolivarian militia. Official figures claim the militia has grown to over 4.5 million members, though analysts believe the actual number may be lower.
Maduro denounced the U.S. military presence—which Washington says is part of an anti-narcotics operation—as an “immoral, criminal, and illegal” attempt at regime change. He has specifically referenced the deployment of U.S. warships, submarines, and other naval assets to the waters off Venezuela’s coast.
The Venezuelan president has made it clear that “what they did in Syria will not happen here,” referencing past U.S. military interventions in the Middle East.
He insists that Venezuela seeks peace but will not be blackmailed or threatened, and that any act of aggression against Venezuela would be met with an immediate armed struggle.
The escalating rhetoric and military posturing from both sides have raised international concerns about regional stability and the potential for a broader conflict.
