Venezuela will deploy 25,000 troops to border and coastal regions in what its government says is a campaign against drug trafficking. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said the reinforcements expand earlier deployments of 10,000 soldiers in Zulia and Táchira, two states bordering Colombia.
Operations include patrols in the Sierra de Perijá to detect coca cultivation and river missions in Apure state. Reinforcements are also headed to Nueva Esparta, Sucre, Delta Amacuro, the Guajira region and the Paraguaná Peninsula, areas Padrino described as “drug trafficking routes.”
He said naval and air units, drones and river patrols will support the effort.
Why is the US involved?
The announcement comes as the United States expands its own military posture in the Caribbean. President Donald Trump recently ordered 10 F-35 jets to Puerto Rico. The U.S. has also sent eight warships, some with amphibious assault capability, along with 4,500 sailors and Marines.
Washington says the buildup is part of an enforcement on narcotics networks it links to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The U.S. Justice Department has indicted Maduro and senior officials on drug conspiracy charges, accusing them of involvement in the “Cartel of the Suns.” A reward of up to $50 million has been offered for Maduro’s capture and $15 million for Padrino. Maduro has called the heightened U.S. military presence an attempt at a coup disguised as an anti-drug operation.
What incidents raised tensions?
The military moves follow a U.S. strike on Sept. 2 that destroyed a boat originating from Venezuela. Trump said 11 suspected traffickers were killed. He called the action necessary to stop drugs from reaching American communities.
Soon after, U.S. officials said two Venezuelan fighter jets flew close to a Navy destroyer in international waters, saying the maneuver was “highly provocative.” Trump warned that Venezuelan aircraft threatening U.S. forces “will be shot down.”
Maduro accused Washington of using narcotics as a pretext for regime change. He said the United States “attacked a Venezuelan vessel and murdered 11 fathers of families” and pledged to defend the nation’s sovereignty.
How are regional and international actors reacting?
Colombia voiced concern about instability along its shared border with Venezuela, while some Caribbean states questioned whether U.S. operations might extend into their waters. Human rights groups criticized the U.S. strike, citing risks of civilian casualties and the precedent of unilateral military action.
United Nations reporting has noted that Venezuela is not the primary transit hub for cocaine, though U.S. officials argue traffickers increasingly use its coasts and rivers. Analysts warn the confrontation could escalate further if both governments continue military buildups without dialogue.
