Venezuela Rallies Militia After U.S. Naval Deployment

(MENAFN) Over the weekend, Venezuelan government backers responded to President Nicolas Maduro’s recent directive by enlisting in the country’s militia.

This mobilization seeks to assemble 4.5 million militia members following the United States’ deployment of military vessels to the Caribbean Sea.

This U.S. military movement, ordered by President Donald Trump, involves three guided-missile destroyers, an amphibious unit, more than 4,500 naval personnel, and roughly 22,000 marines, as confirmed by the Navy.

As per the Pentagon, the increased naval presence is intended to target and dismantle regional drug trafficking networks.

However, this military build-up occurs amid escalating hostilities between the U.S. and Venezuela.

The tension intensified after the U.S. Justice Department raised its bounty to $50 million for details that could lead to Maduro's apprehension, accusing him of being among the world’s top narcotics traffickers.

In retaliation, Maduro last week declared the activation of millions of militia members across Venezuela. He urged citizens to take part in the large-scale registration, condemning the U.S. maritime maneuvers as an "unacceptable provocation."

"We will defend our seas, our skies, and our lands," Maduro stated, referencing potential external threats.

Meanwhile, opposition figure Maria Corina Machado asserted that "very few high-ranking military officers are supporting Maduro," suggesting diminished loyalty among senior armed forces.

Several Caribbean nations have also voiced their positions on the U.S. operation.

The administration of Trinidad and Tobago expressed firm approval of the American military initiative, emphasizing its "full support" for the presence of "American military assets" targeting narcotics operations in the area.

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