Venezuela announced a nationwide military exercise involving about 200,000 troops — land, air and sea — as the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford entered U.S. Southern Command waters near the Caribbean. Caracas framed the drills as a defensive response to heightened U.S. military activity, including anti-drug strikes on small vessels that reports say have killed at least 76 people. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino condemned the strikes, while some regional leaders, including Colombia’s president, have protested and paused intelligence sharing with the U.S. The moves have sharpened tensions and raised concerns about potential escalation.
Venezuela Mobilizes 200,000 Troops in Massive Nationwide Exercise as USS Gerald R. Ford Enters Caribbean
Venezuela Launches Massive Military Drills Amid U.S. Naval Build-up
Venezuela announced on Tuesday the start of a large-scale military exercise across the country, saying roughly 200,000 service members will participate as Caracas reacts to an increased U.S. military presence in the region. The Ministry of Defense said the maneuvers deploy forces by land, air and sea and will span multiple regions.
The announcement coincided with a U.S. Department of Defense confirmation that the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford had entered the area of responsibility of U.S. Southern Command, which includes the Caribbean and waters near Latin America.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, speaking on state television and quoted by AFP, said about 200,000 troops were involved. He also accused U.S. forces of carrying out lethal strikes on small vessels without due process and said such operations had resulted in civilian casualties.
"They are murdering defenseless people, whether or not they are drug traffickers, executing them without due process," Padrino said.
Since September, U.S. forces have reportedly struck roughly 20 vessels in international waters in anti-drug operations that, according to multiple reports, have resulted in at least 76 deaths. U.S. officials have described the missions as part of an anti-narcotics campaign; details of some operations remain limited in public reports.
The Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy's most advanced carrier and the largest of its class. Aircraft aboard the carrier include multiple squadrons of F/A-18 Super Hornets, electronic-attack F-18s, Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, helicopter squadrons and logistics support units. The U.S. has also deployed F-35 fighters to Puerto Rico and has other Navy ships operating in the Caribbean.
Within Venezuela, the military action has been framed as defensive. President Nicolás Maduro and senior officials say the drills are necessary to protect sovereignty. Padrino warned that any foreign forces attacking Venezuelan territory would encounter strong resistance, saying the population is "united to defend this nation, to the death."
Opposition figures and some external analysts view the increased U.S. military pressure as aimed at forcing Maduro from power. A former senior U.S. diplomat to Venezuela, Ambassador James Story, has publicly said the United States could consider options to remove Maduro by force, remarks that heightened regional concerns.
Regional governments have voiced unease as well. Colombia's President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday ordered Bogota to stop sharing intelligence with the U.S., saying the suspension will remain in effect "as long as the missile attacks on boats in the Caribbean continue." Petro said anti-drug efforts must respect human rights and has described the boat strikes as illegal and ineffective.
The drills and the U.S. naval movements have further raised tensions across the hemisphere, underscoring the fragile mix of counter-narcotics operations, great-power signaling and long-standing political disputes over Venezuela's future.
Reporting contributions: AFP, CBS News
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