Venezuela deploys troops to coastline amid US military buildup in Caribbean
Iran Press TV
Friday, 24 October 2025 11:24 AM
The Venezuelan defense minister says the armed forces are maintaining a full deployment along the country's coastline as the United States steps up military buildup in the Caribbean.
Vladimir Padrino Lopez made the remarks on Thursday, saying Venezuela's army is seeking to achieve the "optimal point" of coordination and readiness to respond to the US actions in the region.
Venezuela's military efforts include "reconnaissance operations on land routes, aerial surveillance, exploration and radio operations, drone surveys, and amphibious maneuvers" across coastal regions, he added.
Earlier on Thursday, two US Air Force B-1 bombers flew flew near the coast of Venezuela.
However, US President Donald Trump denied the flight, saying, "No, it's not accurate. No. It's false. But we're not happy with Venezuela for a lot of reasons. Drugs being one of them".
Trump further noted that "the land is going to be next" in his campaign to halt the alleged flow of drugs into the US from Venezuela.
He also insisted that he could continue to launch strikes against suspected drug traffickers abroad without Congress first passing an official declaration of war.
US Senator Adam Schiff said, "The president should come to Congress. Legally, he is required to come to Congress. Though he may not get the answer he expects. Americans don't want another war."
Similarly, Justin Amash, a former Republican congressman, criticized Trump, saying, "The Constitution doesn't permit a president to act as the legislature and judiciary on top of being the chief executive."
Last week, at least two US B-52 bombers flew for several hours off the Venezuelan coast in what one senior American official called "a show of force." Trump also admitted to green lighting a regime change plan in Venezuela.
Washington has already deployed eight warships, a nuclear-powered submarine and fighter jets to the Caribbean under the pretext of combating drug smuggling into the United States.
For at least nine times, the US military has conducted strikes against suspected drug boats, killing 37 people.
US war secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X the videos of the latest US strikes, which did not happen in the Caribbean Sea but in the eastern Pacific Ocean, signaling an expansion of the lethal attacks.
On Wednesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said his country had 5,000 Russian-made Igla-S anti-aircraft missiles in "key air defense positions."
He also emphasized that the massive stockpile is intended to guarantee "the peace, stability and tranquility" of the Venezuelan people.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
