Venezuela has initiated a massive military mobilization involving nearly 200,000 soldiers in direct response to the United States deploying its most advanced aircraft carrier to waters near Latin America, dramatically escalating tensions between the two nations.
Venezuela's Full Military Readiness
Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López confirmed that the country is placing its entire military arsenal on full operational readiness following personal orders from President Nicolás Maduro. The preparations include what officials describe as a massive deployment of ground, aerial, naval, riverine and missile forces across the nation.
The mobilization represents Venezuela's most significant military response to what it characterizes as an imperialist threat from the United States. Defense Minister Padrino explicitly stated the move directly responds to the U.S. buildup of warships and troops in the Caribbean Sea region.
US Naval Power Arrives in Region
The trigger for Venezuela's military response came when the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group arrived in the Latin American region on Tuesday, operating within the U.S. Southern Command's area of operations. The Navy's most modern aircraft carrier brings substantial firepower to the region, carrying approximately 4,000 sailors aboard the vessel alone.
Accompanying the massive carrier are three destroyers: the USS Bainbridge, USS Mahan, and USS Winston S. Churchill, each carrying additional military personnel. The Pentagon had ordered the Ford's relocation from Europe on October 24, with its arrival being anticipated for several weeks.
Escalating Military Presence and Tensions
The arrival of the Ford strike group significantly boosts U.S. military presence in the region to approximately 15,000 troops. This substantial buildup includes eight warships already deployed in the area, an estimated 5,000 service members stationed in Puerto Rico, and several bomber training flights conducted near the Venezuelan coast.
While U.S. officials maintain the mission aims to dismantle transnational criminal organizations and curb drug-smuggling operations, the scale of military assets represents an extraordinary presence in a region that typically hosts minimal Navy vessels.
The Trump administration has recently shifted its approach to handling alleged drug boats, carrying out at least 19 strikes that have killed at least 76 people since September. U.S. officials justify these actions by claiming the targeted vessels were carrying drugs bound for the United States.
Venezuelan military exercises will continue through Wednesday and involve the Bolivarian Militia, a civilian reserve force created by former President Hugo Chávez. The drills aim to optimize command, control and communications systems while ensuring the country's defensive capabilities.
President Maduro has consistently framed Washington's actions as attempts to force him from office, a possibility President Trump recently discussed in an interview on CBS's "60 Minutes" after earlier suggesting he was weighing possible strikes inside Venezuela. However, administration officials have since stated the U.S. is not currently planning strikes inside Venezuelan territory.
