Overview
- Venezuela formally incorporated 5,600 recruits into the armed forces at Fuerte Tiuna, presenting the move as a direct response to U.S. military pressure.
- Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said the FANB is “more than prepared” to deliver a forceful response to any aggression, echoing calls for sustained vigilance and readiness.
- U.S. naval and air assets continue operating near Venezuelan waters, centered on the USS Gerald R. Ford, with Washington citing anti-narcotics missions and regional reports counting about 87 deaths from related strikes since September.
- An FAA advisory urging heightened caution over Venezuela has triggered widespread cancellations by foreign carriers, while Venezuelan airlines are adding routes and frequencies such as expanded Bogotá service to preserve connectivity.
- Human-rights groups reported the in-custody death of opposition figure and former governor Alfredo Díaz, intensifying scrutiny of detentions during the post-election crackdown.