CARACAS, Venezuela: Venezuela on Tuesday announced a nationwide military deployment it called necessary to counter a growing US naval and air presence in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
The government said the move was aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty amid rising regional tensions over US counter-narcotics operations.
The Venezuelan Defence Ministry said the deployment would involve land, sea, air and river units, missile forces and civilian militia.
State television VTV aired footage of military leaders addressing troops in several states. The ministry did not give exact troop movements or timings.
Caracas wary of US campaign
The announcement comes as Washington has mounted a series of strikes on vessels in international waters that it says are linked to narcotrafficking.
US figures cited by officials show at least 20 vessels have been struck since early September, with at least 76 people killed as of November 9.
In Caracas, officials and state media say the US actions — and the presence of US naval and air assets close to Venezuela — fuel fears in the Maduro government that Washington’s ultimate aim may be to oust President Nicolás Maduro.
The administration said it was taking the steps to deter any such threat. “The massive deployment seeks to reinforce our defence and protect our territorial integrity,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement carried by VTV.
US says strikes target drug traffickers
The United States says its operations are aimed at curbing drug trafficking. The campaign has included strikes on vessels in Caribbean waters and the eastern Pacific, the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to the region, and the stationing of F-35 stealth aircraft in Puerto Rico, US officials have said.
US officials have also linked strikes to groups Washington describes as criminal or terrorist. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other administration figures have accused elements of the Venezuelan state and allied gangs of involvement in organised crime.
The White House has designated some groups as foreign terrorist organisations and said it is pursuing both military and law-enforcement options.
US claims that the targeted boats were engaged in illicit trafficking have not been universally accepted.
However, some regional leaders and rights experts, say the strikes risk violating international law and that evidence linking all struck vessels to narcotrafficking has not been publicly produced.
Venezuela seeks partners
Venezuela said it was readying vast numbers of militia volunteers to bolster its armed forces. Presidential statements earlier this year pledged the mobilisation of millions of volunteers.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has estimated Venezuela’s regular armed forces at about 123,000 active personnel, a much smaller figure than the militia claims.
President Maduro’s government has also publicly sought support from allies. Reports say Caracas has approached countries such as Russia, China and Iran for military assistance, including radar systems and equipment maintenance.
Growing toll and political friction
The US strike campaign has drawn growing international scrutiny. UN human rights experts have warned that maritime strikes without clear legal justification could breach international law.
US lawmakers have also pushed for congressional oversight. In October, the US Senate debated — and rejected — resolutions aimed at curbing strikes without explicit congressional authorisation.
The strikes have provoked diplomatic rows. Colombian President Gustavo Petro questioned some US claims after a reported strike killed people later identified as fishermen.
Mexico likewise expressed concern after a reported strike in which the Mexican navy assisted in rescue efforts.
The Venezuelan Defence Ministry described the deployment as a defensive measure and accused Washington of destabilising the region.
President Maduro’s government has repeatedly denied involvement in drug production or transnational trafficking on the scale alleged by some US officials.
