RT.com
28 Nov 2025, 18:31 GMT+10
The South American leader has rallied troops after the US president hinted at launching land-based operations
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has urged the country's air force to remain "ready and resolute" in defending the nation, after US President Donald Trump threatened land operations in the region.
The Pentagon has deployed warships to the Caribbean and carried out strikes on small Venezuelan boats it says are used for drug smuggling - actions Washington frames as counternarcotics but which Caracas calls illegal. US officials have long accused Maduro of overseeing a cartel-linked regime and have hinted that direct military action could follow. Maduro, who says Washington is trying to topple him, rejects the drug-trafficking allegations and has warned Washington against launching "a crazy war."
Speaking on Thursday, Maduro said he was confident Venezuela would prevail if it were forced to declare itself a "republic in arms," ordering members of the Bolivarian Military Aviation to stay "alert and ready."
"I ask you to always remain serene, alert, ready and willing to defend our rights as a nation, as a free and sovereign homeland," he told troops. Maduro said 82% of Venezuelans had declared they were ready to defend the country "with weapons in hand."
His remarks came as Trump claimed the US would soon expand operations to halt Venezuelan drug shipments on land, offering no evidence for the timing or the scale of the threat. Addressing service members at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, Trump praised the Air Force's 7th Bomb Wing and asserted that US efforts had already cut maritime trafficking by about 85%. He said traffickers were "killing hundreds of thousands" of Americans with the drugs they send north and said land-based operations would begin imminently.
READ MORE: US designates supposed Venezuelan cartel as terrorist organization
The same day, Venezuela revoked operating rights for six major international airlines that halted flights after a US aviation warning, further reducing the country's connectivity. The civil aviation authority said Iberia, TAP, Avianca, Latam, Turkish Airlines, and Gol had aligned with "state terrorism promoted by the United States" by suspending services. The carriers stopped flights after the US FAA warned of a "potentially hazardous" security situation over Venezuelan airspace, a claim Caracas rejected, saying the regulator has no jurisdiction.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Russia Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Russia Herald.
More InformationHELSINKI, Finland: Finland is facing economic stagnation, rising unemployment, and strained public finances, yet it has still been...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Meta's latest smartglasses are attracting intense curiosity from early adopters heading into the holiday shopping...
LONDON, UK - Global markets presented a mixed picture on Thursday, with European bourses edging cautiously higher while several major...
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia is preparing to open two additional alcohol stores for non-Muslims, including one inside a compound...
OSLO, Norway: From a villa overlooking Lake Lucerne, Borger Borgenhaug enjoys Swiss calm, but not the trade-off that took him away...
NEWARK, New Jersey: A record Thanksgiving travel season was expected in the United States, but a 43-day government shutdown has reduced...
The South American leader has rallied troops after the US president hinted at launching land-based operations Venezuelan President...
New Delhi [India], November 28 (ANI): The fifth edition of the India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF-2025) concluded on Friday after...
New Delhi [India], November 28 (ANI): India is hopeful of signing the first tranche of the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement within...
Hanoi [Vietnam], November 28 (ANI): The closing ceremony of the sixth edition of the joint military Exercise VINBAX 2025 between the...
Pentagon officials reportedly deny the comparison despite admitting they dont always know who they kill in the Caribbean US airstrikes...
Andrey Yermaks comments come as anti-corruption officers searched his apartment as part of a probe into energy sector kickbacks Ukrainian...
