Overview
- Venezuela’s armed forces said fighter jets intercepted and neutralized a C-210 aircraft over Apure after detecting an irregular flight with no approved plan or transponder signal.
- The U.S. Navy confirmed the USS Gerald R. Ford strike group is operating in the region under a counternarcotics mandate.
- Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López activated Plan Independencia 200, placing forces on full operational readiness with a planned deployment of 200,000 personnel and multiple service assets.
- President Nicolás Maduro urged preparation for armed and non-armed resistance and warned of a nationwide general strike if the United States attempts an attack.
- Opposition figure Henrique Capriles called for a negotiated political solution, regional voices such as Álvaro Uribe warned of spillover risks to Colombia, and Venezuelans reported uncertainty and anxiety over the rising tensions.