Maduro Threatens Armed Republic As US Expands Caribbean Naval Deployment

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has strongly condemned the significant U.S. naval buildup in the Caribbean, describing it as the greatest threat to the region in a century and accusing the U.S. of seeking regime change through military intimidation. The U.S. deployment, authorized by President Donald Trump, involves multiple guided-missile destroyers and amphibious assault ships with over 4,000 sailors and Marines, aimed ostensibly at disrupting drug trafficking networks. Despite U.S. assertions that the operation targets drug cartels responsible for flooding American cities with fentanyl and violence, Maduro and his government reject these claims, citing UN reports that most cocaine traffics via the Pacific, not Venezuela, and framing the buildup as an intervention in Venezuela's sovereignty. In response, Maduro has mobilized troops along the coast and borders, urged civilian militia enlistment, and vowed to declare a "republic in arms" if Venezuela is attacked, warning of regional destabilization. The U.S. has also placed a $50 million bounty on Maduro for alleged drug trafficking ties, heightening tensions between the two nations amid broader geopolitical conflict. While the U.S. denies plans for a ground invasion, the situation remains precarious with potential for escalation.