On Saturday, Dec. 6, the Venezuelan army swore in 5,600 new soldiers at Fuerte Tiuna, Caracas’ largest military complex 🎖️. The move comes as the United States has sent a fleet of warships – including the world’s largest aircraft carrier – into the Caribbean under the pretext of combating drug trafficking 🚢.
American forces have conducted strikes on at least 22 vessels, resulting in 83 fatalities. Washington has accused President Nicolás Maduro of leading the alleged “Cartel of the Suns,” a group it designated as a terrorist organization last month.
Maduro insists the U.S. deployment is a bid to overthrow him and seize Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. “Under no circumstances will we allow an invasion by an imperialist force,” declared Colonel Gabriel Alejandro Rendon Vilchez during the oath-taking ceremony 🛡️.
Official figures show Venezuela fields around 200,000 troops and another 200,000 police officers. The fresh recruits boost those ranks as regional tensions flare.
Also on Saturday, Maduro spoke by phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss global geopolitics and the Caribbean military maneuvers 🌐🤝. According to Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil, Erdogan “expressed deep concern over the threats recently facing Venezuela.”
Maduro called the U.S. maneuvers “illegal, disproportionate, unnecessary and even extravagant,” but stressed Venezuela will keep working for peace. Erdogan echoed the need to “keep channels of dialogue open” and voiced hope that tensions will ease soon 🌴✌️.
As this weekend’s developments unfold, the clash between national defense and international pressure offers a real-life geopolitical thriller – one that will shape Caribbean security and the future of Venezuela’s oil-rich landscape 🍿📺.
“These are critical times for regional stability,” says political analyst Ana María Castillo. “Everyone’s watching.”
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Venezuela swears in 5,600 new troops amid U.S. military build-up
cgtn.com
