Venezuela has mobilized military units and commenced accumulating weapons and equipment, stating it is in response to the deployment of U.S. warships in the Caribbean.
This military buildup, which the government has labeled “prolonged resistance,” involves small military units stationed at over 280 locations, tasked with carrying out acts of sabotage and other guerrilla tactics, according to sources and several-years-old planning documents for this strategy reviewed by Reuters.
A War Department official stated, “We do not discuss intelligence matters.”
Nicolás Maduro has accused the Trump administration of attempting to remove him from power. He has pledged that Venezuelan citizens will defend the South American nation from American aggression.
Meanwhile, the U.S. administration has ordered a series of deadly strikes targeting suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean, aiming to curb the flow of illegal narcotics into the United States. President has suggested the possibility of ground operations in Venezuela, remarking, “the land is going to be next.”
On Tuesday, the U.S. Navy announced that the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group had entered the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility as part of an American presence to support the growing naval buildup in the region.
Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell stated, “The enhanced U.S. force presence in the AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere.” He added, “These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations.”
Aside from the significant resource disparities between the U.S. and Venezuelan militaries, Reuters reported that some Venezuelan unit commanders have even been compelled to negotiate with local food producers to feed their troops due to a shortage in government supplies.
Reports indicate that a component of Venezuela’s defense strategy includes a guerrilla-style response.
A source close to the government told the news outlet, “We would not last two hours in a conventional war.”
said last week it was prepared to respond to Venezuela’s requests for assistance, while urging against an escalation in tensions.
Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.