November 12, 2025, 1:23 p.mNovember 12, 2025, 1:23 p.m
In view of the increasing US military presence in the Caribbean, the Venezuelan government says it has called in almost 200,000 troops for exercises as part of an armed forces action plan.
Image: keystone
According to Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, soldiers from all branches of the armed forces as well as members of paramilitary militias are taking part in the two-day exercise. The aim is to improve the operational readiness of the armed forces.
The minister criticized the US presence in the Caribbean on Tuesday (local time) as a “vulgar operation against the sovereignty and peace” not only of Venezuela, but of the entire region. In this context he spoke of an “imperialist threat”. At the same time, the exercise is aimed against drug trafficking and “terrorist groups,” he said.
The President of Venezuela Nicolàs Maduro.Image: keystone
The maneuver is part of the so-called “Plan Independencia 200” (Plan Independence 200), which the authoritarian head of state Nicolás Maduro announced in September for national defense.
USA sends largest aircraft carrier
The US military is currently increasing its military force in the waters off Latin America. The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the “USS Gerald R. Ford”, which was withdrawn from the Mediterranean some time ago by the Pentagon, has now reached the US Southern Command’s area of operations, as the US Navy announced on Tuesday. The exact location was not disclosed.
The USA justifies its military presence with the fight against transnational criminal organizations and the protection of the homeland from drugs. However, due to increasing tensions between the USA and the Caribbean state of Venezuela, there is increasing speculation about the actual reason for the aircraft carrier’s relocation to the region. (sda/dpa)