Venezuela Conducts Major Military Drills Amid Rising Tensions with the US

October 9, 2025 | 06:03 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Venezuela launched a comprehensive military exercise on Wednesday involving military and civilian personnel, said President Nicolas Maduro, amid increasing tensions with the United States.

The tension between the U.S. and Venezuela is related to the deployment of U.S. warships off the coast of the South American country.

"At midnight on October 8, 2025, an exercise began to practice simultaneous comprehensive activation of all defense, resistance and offensive scenarios in the La Guaira and Carabobo complex defense zones," Maduro said through the Telegram social media platform, as quoted by Antara.

Venezuela's militia forces joined the military under a new training model, which will be gradually enhanced to protect the country's peace, sovereignty, and future.

The national plan also includes strengthening territorial defense forces and combating external threats.

Earlier on August 19, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated that U.S. President Donald Trump is ready to use "every element of American power" to combat drug trafficking, without ruling out the possibility of military operations in Venezuela.

The statement came following reports that Washington deployed over 4,000 marines and sailors, along with several military ships, to the waters off Latin America and the Caribbean under the pretext of combating drug cartels.

The New York Times reported on Monday that Trump recently instructed his special envoy, Richard Grenell, to halt diplomatic contact with President Maduro and senior Venezuelan officials, which has been ongoing since February.

In a meeting with senior military leaders on October 2, Trump instructed Richard Grenell, the president's special envoy leading negotiations with Venezuela, to halt all diplomatic efforts. This includes discussions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, said sources on Monday.

According to the US Daily, Trump has become "increasingly frustrated with Maduro's refusal to voluntarily give up power and with Venezuelan officials' continued denial of their involvement in drug trafficking."

This move opens up the possibility of military escalation against drug traffickers or the Maduro government, the report said.

Maduro has repeatedly accused the U.S. of using the drug cartel threat as a pretext for regime change and to strengthen its military presence in the Latin American region.

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