Maduro Parades Sword in Caracas as U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Escalate

Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro marched with supporters in Caracas on Tuesday wearing camouflage fatigues and brandishing a ceremonial sword, pledging to defend the country against what he described as potential threats from the United States. The display came amid rising diplomatic and security tensions between Caracas and Washington, including an increased U.S. military presence in the Caribbean.

“We must be ready to defend every inch of this blessed land from imperialist threat or aggression, no matter where it comes from,” Maduro told cheering crowds. “There is no excuse for anyone to fail at this decisive moment, for the existence of the Republic.”

Supporters and state media noted that the sword Maduro carried is believed to have once belonged to Simón Bolívar, the 19th-century independence leader, a potent symbol of Venezuela’s revolutionary history and national identity.

On Monday, the U.S. Department of State designated the group known as the Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), saying the network is led by high-ranking individuals within the Venezuelan state. The designation and accompanying statements from U.S. officials characterized those individuals as part of an illegitimate power structure in Caracas.

Since September, U.S. authorities say they have carried out multiple strikes on vessels they allege were involved in narcotics trafficking in the region. Venezuelan and regional sources have warned that the strikes may have caused civilian casualties; definitive, independently verified casualty figures have been disputed.

President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, said he might speak with Maduro. “I might talk to him. We’ll see, but we’re discussing that with the different staffs. We might talk with Venezuela,” he said. “If we can save lives, if we could do things the easy way, that’s fine. And if we have to do it the hard way, that’s fine, too.”

U.S. officials argue their operations aim to disrupt drug flows into the United States. But the approach has drawn criticism from U.S. lawmakers and international partners. Republican Sen. Todd Young warned this month that militarizing the anti-drug effort risks unintended escalation and could conceivably lead to direct conflict with Venezuela.

Public opinion polling suggests strong U.S. resistance to military action: an ABC News/YouGov poll conducted Nov. 19–21 found that roughly 70% of respondents opposed U.S. military strikes in Venezuela, and a majority believed such action would not reduce drug trafficking into the United States.

Internationally, the strikes and the growing U.S. presence in the Caribbean have prompted pushback. Cuba’s foreign minister denounced the U.S. activity as an “exaggerated and aggressive” threat and appealed to Americans to oppose escalation. Colombia’s president has also criticized aspects of the operations and emphasized that drug-fighting efforts must respect human rights. Some countries have reportedly curtailed intelligence sharing with the United States in response to the maritime strikes.

Amid mounting tensions, Venezuela’s government framed Maduro’s rally as a demonstration of national sovereignty and resistance to foreign pressure. Observers warn the standoff heightens the risk of miscalculation and underscores the fragile state of regional diplomacy.