- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the deployment of military and militias to 284 “battlefront” locations, stating the country is “ready for an armed fight” amidst rising tensions with the US.
- This escalation follows a deadly US strike last week on a vessel, which Trump claimed was smuggling drugs for the Tren de Aragua gang, resulting in 11 fatalities.
- Venezuela's interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, refuted the US claims, stating that none of the deceased were drug traffickers or gang members, and condemned the incident as a “murder”.
- The US military presence in the Caribbean is part of an “enhanced counter narcotics operation”, though experts question its effectiveness in disrupting the drug trade and suggest it may also aim to destabilize Maduro's government.
- The US does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader and has offered a $50 million reward for his arrest, accusing him of being a major drug trafficker, allegations Maduro denies.
IN FULL