Venezuela has announced an unprecedented military mobilisation, deploying nearly 200,000 soldiers nationwide in direct response to the United States sending its largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, into nearby waters.
The announcement, made by Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López, marks one of the most dramatic escalations between Washington and Caracas in recent years.
Padrino confirmed that the “entire country’s military arsenal” had been placed on full operational readiness.
According to the minister, the mobilisation includes “ground, aerial, naval, riverine and missile forces,” as ordered by President Nicolás Maduro.
He described the drills as a “special operation” aimed at testing combat readiness and strengthening Venezuela’s defence coordination.
“This is a response to the imperialist threat,” Padrino said, referring to the presence of the U.S. carrier strike group in the Caribbean.
“We are ready to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The war exercises, set to run through Wednesday, will also feature the Bolivarian Militia.
The deployment follows the U.S. Navy’s confirmation that the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group had arrived within the U.S. Southern Command’s area of operations.
The advanced aircraft carrier, which carries over 4,000 sailors, is accompanied by three destroyers the USS Bainbridge, USS Mahan, and USS Winston S. Churchill.
The Pentagon stated that the mission’s goal is to “disrupt transnational criminal networks” and curb drug trafficking in the region.
However, Venezuelan officials and regional observers interpret the move as a show of force and a provocation.
The arrival of the strike group raises the total number of U.S. troops in the region to around 15,000, with several warships already stationed near Puerto Rico and bomber aircraft conducting training flights close to Venezuela’s coast.
President Maduro has repeatedly accused the U.S. of attempting to destabilise his government.
He has labelled recent U.S. military movements as “coercive actions meant to force regime change.”
U.S. President Donald Trump recently reignited tensions, stating in a CBS interview that he was “not ruling out any option” regarding Venezuela.
Although American officials have since clarified that no immediate strikes are planned, Trump’s remarks have heightened fears of confrontation.
“Our armed forces exist to protect the nation, not to provoke war,” he said. “But we will not stand idle while foreign powers threaten our homeland.”
