Venezuela deploys military forces on 284 'battlefronts' amid rising U.S. confrontation

Dubbed Operation Independence 200, the mobilisation includes the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, civilian militias, and police units. Strategic sites such as oil refineries, airports, border crossings, and coastal areas will be under reinforced surveillance. Maduro declared that Venezuela is prepared for “armed struggle” if necessary.

The move comes as the United States increases its military presence in the southern Caribbean. Washington has deployed F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico, warships, submarines, and thousands of troops as part of counter-narcotics and maritime security operations.

A recent flashpoint fueling tensions was a U.S. strike against a Venezuelan vessel allegedly linked to drug trafficking and the criminal group Tren de Aragua. Eleven people were killed in the operation. The Venezuelan government rejected the accusation, questioned the authenticity of footage released by U.S. authorities, and denied any connection to narcotrafficking.

Adding pressure, the U.S. Department of Justice has doubled the bounty for information leading to Maduro’s arrest, raising it to $50 million under charges tied to drug trafficking. Maduro, in turn, insists that Venezuela is not a drug-producing country.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, one of Maduro’s closest allies, stated that Venezuela does not seek war but must remain prepared for it. Meanwhile, the Pentagon emphasised that “the ball is in Maduro’s court”, framing U.S. actions as part of its anti-narcotics mission. Analysts have warned of the risk of a proxy conflict or, at a minimum, a sharp diplomatic and military escalation between Caracas and Washington.

This standoff marks a critical juncture in U.S.–Venezuela relations, with rhetoric hardening and military deployments multiplying, leaving the hemisphere closely watching whether the next step will be negotiation, sanctions, or confrontation.