Overview
- The armed forces swore in 5,600 recruits at Fuerte Tiuna in Caracas, as Nicolás Maduro urged expanded enlistment and resistance to “imperialism.”
- U.S. deployments since August include a sizable naval force reported to feature the world’s largest aircraft carrier, with reporting also describing a new long-range radar in Trinidad and Tobago.
- Tensions intensified after U.S. strikes on suspected drug‑trafficking vessels that reporting says killed 87 people, with Caracas disputing any proven narcotics links.
- Official figures cite roughly 200,000 soldiers plus 200,000 police, while an IISS estimate puts active troops near 123,000 and notes more than 200,000 militiamen.
- Militias are visibly posted along the Caribbean coast with Russian Igla‑S systems and legacy hardware such as Su‑30 jets and VN‑4 vehicles, and Maduro remains publicly active in Caracas despite rumors of exile.