Venezuela Mobilizes Troops to Colombian Border Amidst U.S. Naval Presence
San antonio del Táchira, Venezuela – Venezuela has deployed approximately 17,000 soldiers to its border with Colombia, particularly around the Simón Bolívar international bridge connecting San Antonio to Cúcuta, in response to increased U.S. military activity in the Caribbean adn Gulf of Mexico. The mobilization, which began Thursday, is intended as a demonstration of force and a bolstering of national defense, according to Venezuelan military officials.
General Michell Valladares, commander of the Integrated Defense Operational Zone (Zodi) of the state of Táchira, confirmed the troop deployment.Reinforced patrols and controls are also underway in the border states of Táchira and Amazonas, where the military is tasked with protecting “strategic businesses” and “basic services,” stated General Lionel Sojo, head of the Zodi of Amazonas.
The move comes after the deployment of seven U.S. warships to the Caribbean and one to the Gulf of Mexico, officially stated as part of a campaign against drug trafficking. However,Venezuelan authorities view this as a pretext for interference. “These actions aim to raise the level of operational readiness of the forces and ensure the integration of the people in arms,” General Sojo said, echoing the defensive rhetoric of President Nicolás Maduro.
President Maduro ordered the nationwide military maneuvers, including coastal exercises, after Donald Trump confirmed authorizing clandestine CIA operations in Venezuela. Trump also claimed at least five strikes against boats had occurred, resulting in twenty-seven deaths – a figure that remains unverified.
The increased tensions follow an proclamation by Trinidad and Tobago authorities initiating an examination into the possible deaths of two of their nationals during a recent maritime incident, adding to the regional uncertainty. Maduro has consistently denied any connection to drug trafficking.
