CARACAS: Venezuela announced on Tuesday a major, nationwide military deployment to ‘‘counter the US naval presence’’ off its coast.

Washington is carrying out a military campaign in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, deploying naval and air forces it says are aimed at curbing drug trafficking.

But the operation has sparked fears in Caracas that the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is the ultimate US goal.

Washington’s forces have carried out strikes on 20 vessels in international waters since early Septem­ber, killing 76 people, according to US figures.

But the United States has yet to release evidence that the vessels were used to smuggle drugs or posed a threat to the country.

The Venezuelan defence ministry issued a statement announcing a “massive deployment” of land, sea, air, river and missile forces as well as civilian militia.

The state TV channel broadcast footage of military leaders giving speeches in several states.

These high-profile government announcements are common in Venezuela these days, but they do not necessarily lead to visible military deployments on the ground.

Last week US President Donald Trump played down the prospect of going to war with Venezuela, but he said Maduro’s days were numbered.

Largest aircraft carrier

Washington sent the largest aircraft carrier in the world to the Latin America region on Tuesday, escalating a military buildup that Venezuela has warned could trigger a full-blown conflict.

In a statement, the US Naval Forces Southern Command said the USS Gerald Ford, whose deployment was ordered nearly three weeks ago to help counter drug trafficking, had entered the command’s area of responsibility, which encompasses Latin America and the Caribbean.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2025