Maduro deploys 25,000 troops to Colombia border, Caribbean coast
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Venezuela’s President as deployed 25,000 troops to the Colombia border and Caribbean coast, citing defense of sovereignty amid US military pressure and threats of strikes.
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Soldiers march during a military parade marking Independence Day in Caracas in Venezuela on July 5, 2019. (AP)
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced the deployment of 25,000 armed forces to the border region with Colombia and along the Caribbean coast, saying the mobilization is intended to strengthen rapid reaction operations and safeguard national security.
“The main objective of this mobilization is to defend national sovereignty and national security and to fight for peace,” Maduro said.
Warnings of armed struggle
In previous statements, Maduro warned that Venezuela would “enter the stage of armed struggle” if attacked, while stressing that the country remains open to dialogue but demands respect.
US pressure and military build-up
The move comes against the backdrop of a US military build-up in the Caribbean and Latin America, carried out under the pretext of President Donald Trump’s campaign against drug cartels.
According to CNN, Trump is considering a range of options targeting drug cartels in Venezuela, including possible strikes inside Venezuelan territory as part of a broader strategy to weaken Maduro’s government.
Maduro warns of armed struggle as Venezuelan jets challenge US ship
Maduro warned on Friday that his country is prepared to “enter a stage of armed struggle” if subjected to foreign aggression, while stressing that Venezuela “has always been open to dialogue, but demands respect.”
In a televised address, Maduro dismissed attempts by US President Donald Trump’s administration to pursue regime change in Caracas, describing them as “a mistake.”
“No disagreement between Venezuela and the United States should lead to military conflict,” he said, calling on Washington to abandon what he described as reckless plans for intervention.
Maduro rejected Trump’s accusations that his government leads a “drug cartel,” stressing that Venezuela is free of cocaine cultivation and production. He likened US claims to the fabricated allegations of weapons of mass destruction used to justify the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
