Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced plans to deploy what he claims are 4.5 million militia members in response to recent actions by the United States. This development comes amid escalating tensions between the two nations.
The Trump administration has increased the bounty for Maduro’s arrest to $50 million, citing drug trafficking charges. The U.S. government does not recognize Maduro’s recent election victories and accuses him of leading a cocaine trafficking organization known as the Cartel de los Soles.
The United States has recently launched anti-drug operations in the Caribbean, with reports suggesting the deployment of naval vessels to the region. This action appears to be part of a broader initiative targeting drug cartels in Latin America.
Maduro’s response includes not only the mobilization of militia forces but also calls for the formation of peasant and worker militias in various industries. The Venezuelan leader has used strong rhetoric, referring to “outlandish threats” from the United States and promising to defend Venezuela’s sovereignty.
While official figures claim the Venezuelan militia numbers around 5 million, independent sources suggest the actual figure may be lower. The total population of Venezuela is approximately 30 million.
“Rifles and missiles for the peasant force! To defend the territory, sovereignty, and peace of Venezuela,” declared Maduro.
Last September, the U.S. seized a plane belonging to Maduro and brought it to the U.S., with the Justice Department claiming the jet was exported from Florida in violation of U.S. sanctions.