Maduro elevates military alert amid arrival of U.S. aircraft carrier
On Nov. 12, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced the activation of a "higher phase" of Independence Plan 200, a broad set of joint civilian‑military exercises intended to test the country's ability to respond to external threats and boost operational readiness.
The move mobilizes the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), the Bolivarian Militia and police units across Venezuela, with particular emphasis on the states of Apure, Cojedes and Carabobo and on the capital region, TeleSURTV reported.
Context and regional tensions
Maduro's announcement coincided with the arrival of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to the Caribbean under U.S. Southern Command operations. The U.S. Department of Defense said the deployment is part of an operation to "disrupt narcotics trafficking and dismantle transnational criminal organizations" in the region; the Venezuelan government has described the presence as a "provocation."
Scope of the exercises
According to Venezuela's Defense Ministry, the new stage of Independence Plan 200 includes command, control and communications drills alongside simultaneous air, land, naval and river operations (Ámbito). Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said the measures seek to "strengthen territorial defense and enhance operational readiness" amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Caribbean.
'The order must be activated so that the comprehensive defense commands are established, structured and begin their work...to be ready to win, to triumph through patriotism and courage,' President Maduro said, according to NTN24.
New defense law and command structure
In parallel with the heightened alert, the National Assembly approved — and Maduro signed — the Law of the Command for the Comprehensive Defense of the Nation. The legislation establishes a network of comprehensive defense commands at national, regional and municipal levels to coordinate the armed forces, civilian institutions and citizens in the protection of sovereignty and peace.
Maduro invoked Article 326 of the constitution to justify immediate implementation; the Strategic Operational Command of the Armed Forces will lead the new commands and oversee integration, planning, coordination and control of defense activities nationwide.
Reactions and implications
The government presents the law as a step toward deepening a civilian‑military defense doctrine. Analysts and opposition leaders warn it may accelerate the militarization of public life and expand the armed forces' political role, raising concerns about civil‑military balance and potential impacts on Venezuelan governance.
As the U.S. and Venezuela frame the carrier's arrival in starkly different terms — counter‑narcotics mission versus provocation — the developments underscore growing tensions in the Caribbean and the risk of further escalation amid competing security narratives.
