Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday said he would deploy 4.5 million members of the country’s militia in response to what he described as renewed threats from the United States, after Washington raised the bounty for his arrest and launched anti-drug operations in the Caribbean.
"This week, I will activate a special plan with more than 4.5 million militiamen to ensure coverage of the entire national territory -- militias that are prepared, activated and armed," Maduro announced on state television.
The militia, created by Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez, is officially said to number about five million, though the real figure is believed to be lower. Venezuela’s overall population is around 30 million.
Maduro denounced what he called "the renewal of extravagant, bizarre, and outlandish threats" from Washington.
Earlier this month, the administration of US President Donald Trump doubled its reward to $50 million for Maduro’s capture. He faces US drug trafficking charges , with Washington accusing him of leading the Cartel de los Soles , a network it blames for large-scale cocaine smuggling. The Trump administration also announced sanctions against the group and the Venezuelan government last month.
The US military has reportedly dispatched several vessels to the southern Caribbean as part of Trump’s campaign against Latin American drug cartels. "We are also deployed throughout the Caribbean... in our sea, our property, Venezuelan territory ," Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said.
Though he did not directly reference the recent US actions, Maduro thanked allies for supporting Venezuela against what he called a "rotten refrain" of threats. He also urged the expansion of worker and peasant militias across all industries.
"Rifles and missiles for the peasant force! To defend the territory, sovereignty, and peace of Venezuela," declared Maduro.
"This week, I will activate a special plan with more than 4.5 million militiamen to ensure coverage of the entire national territory -- militias that are prepared, activated and armed," Maduro announced on state television.
The militia, created by Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez, is officially said to number about five million, though the real figure is believed to be lower. Venezuela’s overall population is around 30 million.
Maduro denounced what he called "the renewal of extravagant, bizarre, and outlandish threats" from Washington.
Earlier this month, the administration of US President Donald Trump doubled its reward to $50 million for Maduro’s capture. He faces US drug trafficking charges , with Washington accusing him of leading the Cartel de los Soles , a network it blames for large-scale cocaine smuggling. The Trump administration also announced sanctions against the group and the Venezuelan government last month.
The US military has reportedly dispatched several vessels to the southern Caribbean as part of Trump’s campaign against Latin American drug cartels. "We are also deployed throughout the Caribbean... in our sea, our property, Venezuelan territory ," Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said.
Though he did not directly reference the recent US actions, Maduro thanked allies for supporting Venezuela against what he called a "rotten refrain" of threats. He also urged the expansion of worker and peasant militias across all industries.
"Rifles and missiles for the peasant force! To defend the territory, sovereignty, and peace of Venezuela," declared Maduro.
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