Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced that land, air, naval, and reserve forces will conduct exercises through Wednesday. The maneuvers, he said, respond to the “imperialist threat” posed by the U.S. military buildup.

In addition to conventional forces, the exercises involve Bolivarian Militias, a civilian reserve established by late President Hugo Chávez and named after revolutionary leader Simón Bolívar.

Padrino López attributed the orders directly to President Nicolás Maduro, saying the exercises aim to “optimize command, control, and communications” and safeguard national defense.

U.S. Military Presence in the Caribbean

The announcement comes after the U.S. Navy confirmed the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Southcom area, covering much of Latin America. The carrier, which departed Europe last month, is accompanied by a strike group including nine air squadrons, two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, an integrated air and missile defense command ship, and over 4,000 sailors.

The U.S. claims the deployment targets drug trafficking and illicit drug flows into the country, with recent strikes conducted on multiple smuggling vessels.

Caracas Accuses U.S. of Regime Change Intentions

Venezuela, however, interprets the U.S. buildup as an attempt at regime change. Some Trump administration officials reportedly admitted that previous strategies aimed to remove Maduro. Trump himself said last month that the CIA had been permitted to operate in Venezuela, assessing possible internal attacks, though officials later clarified no such action is planned.

Part of Maduro’s “Independence Plan 200”

Padrino López framed the deployment as part of Maduro’s Independence Plan 200, a broader civil-military strategy to mobilize militias, police, and conventional forces to defend the country.

The Bolivarian National Armed Forces has roughly 123,000 active personnel, while Maduro claims over 8 million reserve militias, though experts question the number and training quality.

U.S. Forces Already Present

With the arrival of the Ford strike group, around 15,000 U.S. personnel are now in the region. Many units, including the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, were already stationed in the area. These forces include over 4,500 Marines and sailors, three guided missile destroyers, one attack submarine, one special operations ship, one guided missile cruiser, and P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft.

Additionally, Puerto Rico hosts 10 F-35 fighter jets, at least three MQ-9 Reaper drones, and roughly 5,000 U.S. troops, serving as a central hub for the U.S. military presence in the Caribbean.

Increased Military Tensions

U.S. bombers have conducted several training flights along Venezuela’s coast, including a bombing demonstration in late October, escalating concerns in Caracas about potential threats to national sovereignty.