Venezuela mobilizes troops and militias as US military looms

Venezuela is moving troops into position on the Caribbean coast and mobilizing what President Nicolás Maduro asserts is a millions-strong militia in a display of defiance against the biggest American military buildup in the Caribbean since the 1980s.

The Venezuelan strongman’s regime has cranked up their propaganda machine. On state television, radio and social media, announcers are telling Venezuelans that the US is a Nazi like state that wants to dig its claws into the country’s oil wealth.

The Pentagon has moved some of its most advanced units and weapons closer to Venezuela, marking the biggest U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean since the 1980s. he situation has prompted Venezuela to bolster its defense posture, mobilizing troops along the Caribbean coast and emphasizing its readiness to resist potential “US aggression.”

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has made public statements asserting that Venezuela is ready for combat, despite acknowledging that the country’s military is underfunded, ill-trained, and no match for US firepower.

This escalation in military tensions could have significant geopolitical consequences, particularly in terms of regional stability in Latin America and the Caribbean. The standoff between the US and Venezuela could also have implications for global oil markets, as Venezuela possesses some of the world’s largest oil reserves.

The situation further highlights the ongoing ideological and economic battle between the US and Latin American socialist regimes. How much of this is posturing and how much of this is genuine preparation for war is unclear right now.

President Trump likely wants to extract concessions from Venezuela and exert pressure on the Maduro regime. Trump also wants to show is power. But it is unlikely that he wants an all out battle with Venezuela.