Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro said his regime has deployed "heavy weaponry and missiles" in a key part of the country as tensions with the Donald Trump administration remain high.
Maduro said the deployment is part of a "comprehensive defense plan" and fortifies the corridor between Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira.
He showed the area in a map during a televised address, noting that the plan detailed how the regime intends to defend the population from external threats "street by street, community by community, weapon by weapon, weapons system by weapons system."
In another passage of the address, Maduro added that an "arsenal of weapons for the militiamen and militiawomen is already in place." He claimed that over 8 million people enrolled in the militia during a drive in August after the U.S. began its military deployment in the area.
The show of force comes as the Cartel de los Soles, which the U.S. accuses Maduro and other top officials of leading, is days away from being officially designated as a terrorist organization, which would pave the way for military action.
The Department of State said in a statement that the designation will go into effect on November 24, adding that the organization is "headed by Nicolás Maduro and other high-ranking individuals of the illegitimate Maduro regime who have corrupted Venezuela's military, intelligence, legislature, and judiciary."
"Neither Maduro nor his cronies represent Venezuela's legitimate government. Cartel de los Soles by and with other designated FTOs including Tren de Aragua and the Sinaloa Cartel are responsible for terrorist violence throughout our hemisphere as well as for trafficking drugs into the United States and Europe," the release adds.
Trump has also approved CIA plans to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, which could potentially pave the way for broader military action inside the country, according to another report.
In this context, the White House said it is not negotiating with the regime, even though President Donald Trump said days ago that authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro wants to dialogue and that such a scenario could take place. The New York Times had reported that Trump had in fact authorized back channel negotiations with the regime.
Originally published on Latin Times
