Nicolás Maduro has raised his rhetoric regarding what he sees as an unprecedented military escalation by the United States.
In a national and international press conference held this Monday, the leader asserted that his country is facing “the greatest threat it has encountered in a hundred years”, referring to the deployment of U.S. military forces in the southern Caribbean, near the Venezuelan coasts.
“Eight military ships, with 1,200 missiles, and a nuclear submarine are targeting Venezuela,” warned Maduro, visibly outraged by what he described as an excessive provocation by the U.S. Government.
"An extravagant and bloody threat"
During his speech, Maduro described the deployment as “an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral, criminal, and bloody threat.”
He directly accused Washington of trying to bring the confrontation to a point of no return through what he called "maximum military pressure."
"They have sought to escalate to the highest military pressure, and we have declared our utmost readiness to defend Venezuela," he asserted.
Maduro framed the situation within a failed hybrid war strategy against his country, which he claims has failed in all its forms and is now evolving into direct military action.
"Having defeated all forms of hybrid warfare against a country, they have opted for the worst mistake: maximum pressure," he stated.
Despite the seriousness of the accusations, the president also insisted that Venezuela will not yield to external threats or blackmail.
“We will never give in to threats and blackmail. The U.S. Government has orchestrated a mess with an entire country”, he stated.
Dialogue with the U.S.: "Worn but Active"
At another point during the press conference, Maduro was asked about the current state of communications between Caracas and Washington. He acknowledged that, although there are avenues for dialogue, they are “damaged” and “in disrepair.”
The president mentioned two specific channels.
The first was through John McNamara, the chargé d'affaires ad interim of the U.S. External Office for Venezuela, who was present during the prisoner exchange between the two countries.
"That day we talked. McNamara, when he spoke with me, melted and began to stammer," Maduro recounted.
"I treated him with dignity and respect, and he treated me with a great deal of respect, with special deference," he added.
The second channel involves the former ambassador and special envoy of the Donald Trump Administration, Richard Grenell, who visited Caracas in February of this year and met with the Venezuelan president.
Maduro criticized what he referred to as "gunboat diplomacy," a historical practice in which military threats are used as a method of diplomatic pressure.
“They put 1,200 missiles on you and tell you: accept this. That’s not going to work with us. Even if they place 10,000 missiles over our heads, that's not going to work.”, he warned emphatically.
He also issued a direct warning to Donald Trump, advising him to be cautious with his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
“Beware of Marco Rubio, who wants to stain his hands with blood in a massacre against the people of Venezuela,” he warned.
CELAC calls for an urgent meeting of foreign ministers
The rising tension has begun to spark diplomatic movements in the region.
This Monday, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) held an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers in response to the military deployment of the U.S. in Caribbean waters.
According to reports, several governments in the region expressed their concern about the possibility of a military operation against Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking officials of the Venezuelan regime.
The Venezuelan delegation, led by Foreign Minister Yván Gil, denounced before CELAC that “the U.S. narrative regarding the military deployment is completely false”, and requested a strong condemnation from the regional organization along with an immediate demand for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Venezuelan coasts.
Criticism from the opposition and the media
At the same time, critical voices have been heard from the opposition sector. The Venezuelan journalist Emmanuel Rincón referred to the Maduro government's claims as a sign of weakness.
"The tyranny of Maduro showed up crying at CELAC, denouncing that there are U.S. military assets that could be used in an invasion off the coast of Venezuela, and asking for their removal," he wrote on X.
On his part, Eduardo Menoni, also a journalist and open opponent of chavismo, wrote:
In total panic, Maduro's chancellor, Yván Gil, rejected the U.S. narrative about the military deployment in the Caribbean as 'completely false' and urged CELAC to condemn the intrusion and demand the withdrawal of those forces from Venezuelan coastlines. "They are scared!"
Final warning: "That is not going to work with Venezuela."
In concluding his remarks, Maduro reiterated that his country will not accept pressures or impositions from foreign powers, regardless of the scale of the deployed arsenal.
"That won't work with Venezuela. We will know how to defend our sovereignty, our dignity, and the peace of our people," he concluded.
Frequently Asked Questions about the tensions between Venezuela and the United States
Why does Nicolás Maduro believe that Venezuela is facing its greatest threat in 100 years?
Maduro considers that the U.S. military buildup near Venezuelan shores is an unprecedented threat. According to him, the presence of military ships and a nuclear submarine targeting Venezuela represents an excessive provocation by the United States.
What actions has Venezuela taken in response to the military deployment of the U.S.?
In response to the U.S. military deployment, Venezuela has declared maximum readiness for defense and has mobilized thousands of civilian militiamen and military personnel. Additionally, it has requested a strong condemnation of the U.S. deployment from CELAC.
What is the current status of the dialogue between Caracas and Washington?
The dialogue between Caracas and Washington is "damaged" and "failed", although there are still communication channels. These include contacts with figures such as John McNamara, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the U.S. Office of External Affairs for Venezuela, and Richard Grenell, former ambassador and special envoy of the Donald Trump Administration.
What role does CELAC play in the current crisis between Venezuela and the United States?
The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) has convened an urgent meeting of foreign ministers to address the situation, expressing its concern about a possible military operation against the regime of Nicolás Maduro and requesting a condemnation of the U.S. military deployment.
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