Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro said "there is no way" the country "will be breached" despite the deployment of U.S. warships to the region, which the Trump administration claims it's aimed at fighting drug trafficking.
"This situation we are facing, one of harassment, siege, illegal threats that violate the UN Charter, only makes us stronger," Maduro said. He went on to claim that the armed forces are seizing the circumstance to "strengthen the nation's defense plans" despite the "empire" wanting to take over the country's "riches."
"Today, after 20 days of continued siege, we're stronger than yesterday. We have more national and international support," Maduro added. "We're more prepared to defend our peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Despite the rhetoric from Caracas and Washington D.C., the Colombian government claimed on Thursday that the Trump administration won't carry out a military intervention in Venezuela.
Concretely, Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio said she reached the conclusion after speaking with U.S. officials, including ambassador John McNamara and U.S. lawmakers who recently visited the country.
"The press has created a narrative that is sowing confusion in the population. From the conversations we've had with the ambassador and U.S. lawmakers who visited the country over the past weeks we concluded there is no such intention," Villavicencio said.
However, the U.S. is continuing its deployment of assets to the region, and Spanish outlet ABC News detailed that the Trump administration is also negotiating with several countries the possibility that they join the operation.
The outlet noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading negotiations, which also include Italy and the U.K., focusing on the fact that Spain is not currently involved in such conversations. ABC News also noted that the French government has announced it will join the operation and is sending warships to Guadalupe, which it administers.
Moreover, Rubio will travel to Mexico and Ecuador next week to, among other things, discuss fighting organized crime.
Rubio's "fourth trip to our hemisphere demonstrates the United States' unwavering commitment to protect its borders, neutralize narco-terrorist threats to our homeland, and ensure a level playing field for American businesses," said the State Department in a press release.
Overall, the U.S. sent eight warships to the Caribbean and Pacific in the region, which the Washington Post described as a "significant buildup for a region that has rarely seen such a large presence of U:S. military vessels."
Three destroyers, two landing dock ships, an amphibious assault ship, a cruiser and a littoral combat ship are already in the region or on their way. All destroyers carry detachments of the U.S. Coast Guard and law enforcement officials. The Navy didn't say where the vessels will be operating.
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
