Overview
- President Donald Trump warned on Dec. 2 that selective ground attacks against targets in Venezuela would begin very soon, following months of maritime strikes and a large naval deployment.
- Venezuela formally incorporated 5,600 soldiers at Fuerte Tiuna, with commanders framing the expansion as a response to U.S. pressure and emphasizing “offensive permanent” readiness.
- Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said the armed forces are more than prepared to deliver a forceful response, while PSUV leader Diosdado Cabello promoted a strategy of prolonged active resistance.
- Reports since September cite about 87 people killed in U.S. attacks on suspect vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, as critics question legality and due process.
- Aviation links remain disrupted after a U.S. FAA warning on Venezuelan airspace, with local carriers adding routes to Bogotá, Medellín and Curazao, and rights groups reporting a jailed opposition ex-governor died in custody.