Venezuela mobilises coastguard amid rising tensions with US: Video
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced on Thursday, October 23, that the country had deployed all available military forces along its coastline in a move he framed as defensive preparation against a potential armed aggression by the United States.
The mobilisation is part of an operation Maduro called Independent Coast Defence Exercise 200, which he said covers the nation’s shorelines from Zulia in the west to Sucre in the east.
Maduro described the deployment as immediate and comprehensive. “At 00:00 at night, I called those I had to call and gave them an order. Activate all forces, all military teams immediately for the defence of action points along the entire Venezuelan coast, from Zulia to Sucre state,” he told attendees at a ceremony in Caracas. He said military units, militia, police and specialised anti-air and coastal defence teams were positioned at 73 central points nationwide.
During the swearing-in of the Promoting Commission for the Venezuelan Workers’ Constituent Assembly, Maduro highlighted what he described as a moment of unprecedented patriotic unity across the country. He reaffirmed that Venezuela possesses the necessary military capability to defend its sovereignty, crediting international partners such as Russia and China for their support. The president also addressed recent restrictions on his online communications, criticising what he views as efforts to limit his digital reach.
The announcement comes amid heightened rhetoric between Caracas and Washington. US President Donald Trump has reportedly warned that “land is going to be next” as disputes over alleged drug-trafficking and recent strikes on so-called “narco-boats” intensify. Maduro’s large-scale coastal drill and public accusations reflect a region on edge, where military posturing and political claims risk escalating diplomatic tensions unless channelled back into dialogue.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
