Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the deployment (mobilisation) of up to 4-4.5 million fighters of the Bolivarian National Militia in response to “threats from the United States” and the US military build-up in the Caribbean. This was reported by international media, particularly El País, CBS News and Al Jazeera.
According to the publications, Maduro’s statement came after the US decision to double the reward for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction to $50 million. The US State Department and Associated Press/PBS agencies were informed of the increase.
El Pais and other sources also note that the Venezuelan mobilisation was a response to the deployment of US destroyers and other forces off the country’s coast, which has heightened tensions in the region. Washington has previously accused Maduro of involvement in international drug trafficking and related offences; the decision to increase the bounty was announced this month. U.S. and international think-tanks have noted an increase in political-military rhetoric on both sides and warned of the risks of further escalation. At the same time, there is no independent confirmation of the beginning of a “war” between the US and Venezuela; these are mobilisation steps and increased readiness against the backdrop of political confrontation.