Venezuela Mobilizes Civilians Amidst U.S. Tensions, Preparing for Potential Conflict
San Cristóbal, Venezuela - Retired administrator and winery worker, a man identified only by his first name, speaks for a growing number of Venezuelan civilians receiving renewed military training from the goverment, bracing for a conflict officials describe as an “undeclared war” with the United States. Despite battling prostate issues, he affirms a sense of duty: “If a conflict occurs, we have to defend the territory.Being uniformed already implies a responsibility.”
This resurgence in civilian training, involving individuals with prior military experience, reflects heightened anxieties within the Venezuelan government regarding potential U.S. intervention. The initiative, while not entirely new, has intensified in recent months, fueled by escalating rhetoric and sanctions from Washington.Venezuela’s leadership frames the situation as a defense of national sovereignty against external aggression, while the U.S. maintains its policies aim to pressure the Nicolás Maduro regime towards democratic reforms. The training underscores a broader strategy of bolstering national defense capabilities through a citizen militia system, rooted in the bolivarian Revolution’s doctrine of “territorial defense.”
the man, who has previously handled carbines and rifles during earlier training exercises, now balances his work at a local winery with periodic calls for refresher courses. He embodies a segment of the population prepared to take up arms, echoing the government’s assertion that “each one is its territory, the defense is territorial, for the rest there is the armed force.” This echoes Venezuela’s long-held strategy of relying on a broad base of civilian support to supplement its professional military.
The current mobilization builds upon decades of investment in a national militia system, formalized under Hugo Chávez and continued by Maduro. This system aims to create a parallel defense force capable of resisting invasion or internal destabilization.While the scale and effectiveness of the current training remain unclear, it signals a deepening sense of preparedness within Venezuela as geopolitical tensions with the U.S. continue to simmer. The government has not specified the exact nature of the perceived threat, but consistently points to U.S.sanctions and political pressure as acts of aggression.
