Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the deployment of 4.5 million militias nationwide on Monday, ensuring that “the empire will not touch Venezuela’s sacred soil.”
Last week, the US government confirmed that it had ordered CNN to contain the region’s naval movement to contain threats from drug trafficking groups. On Monday, Reuters reported that three US Navy destroyers and around 4,000 servicemen will arrive at the edge of Venezuela’s territory within the next 36 hours.
However, on Tuesday, US Department of Defense officials said they currently have no or no US ships in the area. I received an order heading there. Venezuela’s territory has almost 2,500 miles of coastline.
“This week I intend to activate a special plan that will guarantee compensation with more than 4.5 million militias across national territory. The militia are prepared, revitalized and armed,” Maduro said during a televised broadcast with the country’s governor and mayor.
The president described the “luxurious, strange, eccentric” American threat as a “rotten rehash” without specifying what he refers to.
“We protect the sea, the sky and the land. We have freed them. We protect them and patrol them. The empire will not touch the sacred soil of Venezuela, and we should not touch the sacred soil of South America,” he emphasized in his speech.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt was asked about the possible deployment of the troops into Venezuela on Tuesday following reports of military accumulation. “President (Donald) Trump is very clear and consistent. He is ready to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding our country and lead those responsible to justice,” she said.
She also reiterated the US government’s position that Maduro is “not a legitimate president.” Washington and Caracas have not had formal bilateral diplomatic relations since 2019.
The Venezuelan government has rejected accusations of Washington’s drug trafficking, saying the US is relying on “threats and delinquents.”
Created in 2005 by President Hugo Chavez in 2005 and formally established in 2010, Venezuelan militia is part of the Bolivar National Army (FANB) and has the “incorporation of organized people” that ensures “inclusive defense of the people” of “incorporation of organized people.”
Maduro said he would move forward with plans to revitalize farmer and workers militias “in all factories and workplaces in the country.”
“Working class missiles and rifles to protect your hometown,” he said.
The Venezuelan Ministry of Defense states that the FANB is “comprised with approximately 95,000 to 150,000 active combatants” and “growth of the national militia, consisting of hundreds of thousands of people who can serve as study abroad.”
Specializing in military analysis, using official statistics and providing estimates when they are not available, the Global Firepower website ranks 50th in Venezuela in 2025 rankings in 145 countries. The United States is number one, Russia is number two, and China is number three.
A few weeks ago, the Trump administration doubled its pay to $50 million for information that led to the arrest of “one of the world’s biggest drug traffickers,” the Sands cartel chief, and Maduro, known as a threat to US national security.
The Venezuelan government and other agencies in the country rejected the announcement, with several Chavista figures denying the claim. Home Minister Diosdado Cabello said Cartel de los Salles was a US “invention” and Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez “resolutely” rejected Washington’s “silly” charges.
