This weekend (Dec 6), Venezuela’s army officially swore in 5,600 new recruits at Fuerte Tiuna, Caracas’ biggest military base. The move comes as the United States has sent a fleet of warships — including the world’s largest aircraft carrier — into the Caribbean, citing anti–drug trafficking efforts. 🚢⚓
President Nicolas Maduro had urged a military boost after American forces recently struck at least 22 vessels, with reports of 83 fatalities. Washington also labelled Maduro the leader of the alleged "Cartel of the Suns" and named it a terrorist group last month. 🇻🇪💥
From Caracas, Colonel Gabriel Alejandro Rendon Vilchez was clear: "Under no circumstances will we allow an invasion by an imperialist force." Venezuela already fields around 200,000 troops plus 200,000 police officers, according to official data.
Also over the weekend, Maduro spoke by phone with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Ankara expressed deep concern over the heightened military presence and stressed the importance of keeping diplomatic channels open. Erdogan said he hopes tensions will ease soon. 🤝📞
As US–Venezuela tensions rise, this real-life geopolitical drama reminds us that behind every headline are people and policies shaping our global future. Stay tuned as this story develops. 🔍
Reference(s):
Venezuela swears in 5,600 new troops amid U.S. military build-up
cgtn.com
