Venezuela Sends 15,000 Troops Amid Rising US Tensions
Venezuela deploys 15,000 troops as US warships approach the Caribbean, escalating tensions over drug cartels and border security.
Venezuela – US – (Special Correspondent / Web Desk) -Venezuela has announced the deployment of 15,000 troops to its border with Colombia to fight drug trafficking. This decision comes as the United States increases its anti-cartel operations in the southern Caribbean with the arrival of more warships.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on Monday that security forces will be strengthened in Zulia and Táchira states, which are known as major smuggling routes along the Colombian border. He added that the deployment will include aircraft, drones, and river patrol teams to ensure strict monitoring.
Cabello stated, “We are serious about fighting drug trafficking and cartels on every front.” He shared that Venezuelan authorities have already seized 53 tonnes of drugs in 2025. He also called on Colombian officials to increase their efforts to maintain peace across the entire border region.
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At the same time, the United States is sending more naval power to the Caribbean. According to Reuters, the USS Lake Erie, a guided missile cruiser, and the USS Newport News, a nuclear-powered attack submarine, will arrive in the southern Caribbean next week as part of their ongoing mission.
The ships will join an amphibious squadron that includes the USS San Antonio, USS Iwo Jima, and USS Fort Lauderdale—carrying around 4,500 US service members, including 2,200 Marines. The Pentagon says the deployment is part of a broader crackdown on Latin American drug cartels.
The move comes amid escalating accusations from the Trump administration, which has repeatedly accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and top officials—including Cabello—of working with the Cartel de los Soles, designated by Washington as a terrorist organization.
The US recently doubled its bounty for Maduro’s capture to $50 million and raised the reward for Cabello’s arrest from $10 million to $25 million. Maduro, in turn, accuses the US of pursuing regime change while mobilizing militias nationwide in response to external threats.
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