Overview

• The Venezuelan armed forces drove about 25 armored vehicles from Fuerte Tiuna with hundreds of motorcyclists to El Valle to start neighborhood instruction on manejo de armas.
• Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said forces are deployed across 5,336 communal circuits to strengthen unidades comunales de milicias, with activities reported in Miranda, Barinas, Apure, Bolívar, Zulia, Mérida, Táchira, Trujillo and Nueva Esparta.
• State media described the training as a response to a U.S. maritime and air deployment presented by Washington as counternarcotics operations, while President Donald Trump has denied planning regime change.
• The government released video of the Caribe Soberano 200 exercises on La Orchila, saying more than 2,300 personnel, warships, Sukhoi-30s, helicopters and amphibious vehicles participated.
• Political rhetoric intensified as opposition figure Leopoldo López voiced hope for possible U.S. intervention and ruling-party leader Diosdado Cabello urged a shift from a peaceful to an armed revolution.