Venezuela Prepares Military As US Aircraft Carrier Approaches

The Venezuelan government says it is preparing its military in case of a possible US attack. Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino announced Tuesday that measures include the “massive deployment of ground, aerial, naval, riverine, and missile forces,” along with the involvement of police, militias, and organised civilian groups.

Reports indicate Maduro’s government is pursuing two strategies: one involves guerrilla-style units stationed at hundreds of locations to carry out sabotage and hit-and-run tactics, while the other relies on intelligence services and pro-government armed groups to incite unrest in Caracas, aiming to make the country difficult to manage for external forces.

The Pentagon confirmed that the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, including the world’s largest aircraft carrier, has arrived in the Caribbean with 4,000 sailors and tactical aircraft. The U.S. has also deployed troops to nearby areas such as Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago, with the Trump administration citing the need to disrupt drug trafficking and protect the homeland. Relations between the US and Venezuela have been tense, with Maduro accusing the US of pursuing “imperialistic” aims, while Washington continues to criticise the Venezuelan leader’s policies.