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Caracas woke up on Wednesday under a warning that sounds like an ultimatum. “We are preparing for the worst”, said the powerful Minister of the Interior and key figure of chavismo, Diosdado Cabello, referring to the intensified deployment of U.S. military forces off the coast of Venezuela.
In his weekly program Con el mazo dando, broadcast on the state channel VTV, Cabello asserted that Venezuela is ready to face “whatever comes, no matter how tough it is”, in direct reference to the movements of ships, submarines, and Marines from the United States that, under the pretext of an anti-drug campaign, have been surrounding the Caribbean Sea for days.
“We do not underestimate any threat. Nor do we overestimate it, and much less do we dismiss it”, said the leader, who also highlighted the mobilization of thousands of civilian militia members across the country.
The message, direct and unequivocal, comes in response to the complaint by Nicolás Maduro's government to the United Nations, which raised alarms that the Pentagon is preparing to send a "missile cruiser" and a "fast attack nuclear submarine" to the Caribbean, an action that Caracas perceives as a direct provocation and a "serious threat to regional peace and security," reported the agency EFE.
A region on the brink of militarization
The situation escalated quickly. The Venezuelan "response" translated into a deployment of warships, drones, helicopters, and observation points along the Caribbean Sea and the border with Colombia, under the framework of Operation “Relámpago del Catatumbo.” The Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, confirmed that more than 15,000 troops are mobilized.
Washington, for its part, has not hidden its cards. According to international media, the Trump administration sent the missile cruiser USS Lake Erie, the submarine USS Newport News, three destroyers, and about 4,500 Marines, in addition to spy planes. All of this, in theory, to combat drug trafficking.
But for chavismo, this narrative is just an excuse. Venezuela claims it has no illicit crops and that it is a geopolitical strategy to pressure Maduro's regime and force concessions. “This has no technical justification; it is tactical pressure,” warned analyst Phil Gunson from the International Crisis Group.
Amid rising tensions, Cuba has united with its Venezuelan ally. Miguel Díaz-Canel promised “unconditional support” for Maduro and denounced the “imperialist threats” from the United States, strengthening the historical alliance between Havana and Caracas.
France has also shown signs. The government of Emmanuel Macron deployed military personnel, radars, and drones in Guadeloupe as part of its own antinarcotics plan, effectively aligned with the strategy of the U.S.
Even more surprising was the stance of Trinidad and Tobago. Its Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, offered unrestricted access to U.S. forces to her territory if Venezuela were to attack Guyana, with which it has a territorial dispute over Esequibo. “We will not hesitate to defend the Guyanese people,” she declared.
A rhetoric that borders on conflict
While the UN receives claims and alerts, Venezuela is accelerating the preparation of its militias. According to Minister Padrino, this weekend more than 1,000 points will be opened to enlist volunteers to defend "the homeland against any aggression."
The scene recalls the tensest years of the 20th century. However, this time, militarization is taking place in the heart of the Caribbean, with the involvement of nuclear powers, unresolved territorial conflicts, and an underlying ideological backdrop.
"What is true is that our people, our women, our youth have stepped forward to defend the homeland," insisted Diosdado Cabello, in a message that seems more directed at Washington than at the Venezuelan audience.
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