Millions of militia being mobilized by Maduro in response to reported threats from the U.S.
In a significant development, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced on August 18 that he will deploy over 4.5 million militia members to respond to perceived threats from the United States. This announcement comes after the U.S. government has taken several steps against Maduro and the Cartel de los Soles, a cocaine trafficking gang that Maduro is accused of leading.
The Venezuelan militia, originally founded by Maduro's predecessor Hugo Chavez, is officially said to contain about 5 million people. However, the actual number is believed to be smaller. For comparison, Venezuela's total population is approximately 30 million.
The U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has doubled the bounty for Maduro's arrest to $50 million. This move follows the imposition of sanctions against the Cartel de los Soles and Maduro's administration.
The U.S. military has been active in the Caribbean, with several vessels deployed as part of Trump's crackdown on Latin American drug cartels. The U.S. has also launched anti-drug operations in the region. According to Pentagon sources, the first operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean occurred under Trump's presidency, involving over 4,000 Marines and naval forces.
Maduro's announcement was made on state television. In his speech, he criticized the renewed threats from the United States as extravagant, bizarre, and outlandish. He stated that this week he will activate a special plan with the militia to ensure coverage of the entire national territory.
Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello claimed that the U.S. military is present in the Caribbean, "in our sea, our property, Venezuelan territory." However, the Venezuelan government has not made any official comment on this claim.
This escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela is a concerning development in the ongoing struggle against drug trafficking in the region. As both countries continue to take action, it remains to be seen how this situation will unfold.
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