Venezuelan President NicolĂĄs Maduro delivered a fiery address in Caracas this week, brandishing the sword of national hero SimĂłn BolĂvar and urging supporters to brace for what he described as looming foreign aggression.
According to Fox News, Maduro appeared before a massive crowd in the capital, raising BolĂvarâs sword as he framed the moment as a test of national resolve.
The 19th-century independence leader is revered across South America, and Maduroâs use of the sword underscored the dramatic tone of his speech.
âFor anyone, whether civilian, politician, military, or police. Let no one make excuses. Failure is not an option. The homeland demands it! Our greatest effort and sacrifice,â Maduro declared, according to the Associated Press. âAnd with (SimĂłn) BolĂvar, I come to say that if the homeland demands it, the homeland will have our lives, if necessary.â
He urged Venezuelans to mobilize, describing the country as facing threats from abroad â a reference to what he called âimperialist aggression.â
His comments came as U.S. pressure has intensified following months of American maritime strikes targeting vessels Washington says are used by drug traffickers.
Reuters has reported that more than 80 people have been killed since September in connection with those operations. Another Reuters report noted heightened surveillance and security crackdowns in coastal regions affected by the strikes.
In the US, President Donald Trump used a Thanksgiving call with service members to signal a significant shift in tactics.
After months of maritime interdiction efforts, he said the U.S. would âvery soonâ begin stopping suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers on land as well.
âIn recent weeks, youâve been working to deter Venezuelan drug traffickers, of which there are many. Of course, there arenât too many coming in by sea anymore. Have you probably noticed that?â Trump said.
He added that maritime efforts have already blocked an estimated 85 percent of drugs entering by sea.
âYou probably noticed that now people arenât wanting to be delivering by sea, and weâll be starting to stop them by land also. The land is easier, but thatâs going to start very soon.â
Trump blamed traffickers for âhundreds of thousands of people a yearâ dying from âpoisonsâ brought into the country. âWe warn them, stop sending poison to our country,â he said.
Earlier in the month, Trump said he had not ruled out sending U.S. troops to Venezuela as part of the administrationâs efforts to dismantle criminal networks allegedly connected to high-ranking officials in Caracas. âNo, I donât rule out that, I donât rule out anything,â he said.
But he also left the door open for potential discussions. âWe may be having some conversations with Maduro, and weâll see how that turns out. They would like to talk,â Trump said.
U.S. officials say dozens of vessels linked to Venezuelan and Colombian groups have been destroyed in strikes across the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since early September, marking one of the largest recent escalations in counter-trafficking operations.