"The US and its allies want to break Maduro's criminal state regime", observers say, after Washington sent warships near Venezuela, and Maduro mobilized 4.5 million people.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro mobilized 4.5 million militia members to "guarantee the sovereignty of Venezuela".
"No empire will ever set foot on the sacred land of Venezuela", Maduro also said. The reason for this "arming against the imperialists", as he calls it, is the announcement that the United States is sending warships near the Venezuelan coast. The goal, according to the White House, is to fight drug cartels.
The United States is increasingly trying to pressure Maduro
"Maduro's regime does not represent a legitimate government," said White House spokeswoman Carolyn Leavitt. "He is a fugitive, the leader of a drug cartel, accused in the United States of drug trafficking."
In early August, the United States doubled the reward for Maduro's capture to $50 million. The dispatch of warships is a further escalation in relations between Washington and Caracas.
For political analyst Edgardo Buscaglia, Trump's moves are a clear signal that the United States wants to pressure Maduro until his dictatorship collapses. "We find ourselves in a unique situation in which the United States and its allies want to dismantle the criminal state regime of Maduro and his entourage. Argentina could join this operation," Buscaglia said. "After the land and sea blockades, cyber blockades will follow. And it could lead to negotiations with Putin, one of Maduro's protectors."
Maduro has ruled Venezuela for 12 years
According to the United States, Maduro leads the dangerous "Cartel of the Suns" (Cartel de los soles). He has ruled Venezuela since 2013, during which time he stripped the country's parliament of its powers and is accused of severely suppressing civil and political freedoms. Venezuela is also suffering from a severe economic crisis and shortages of basic products.
In 2019, Venezuela severed diplomatic relations with the United States after the U.S. government did not recognize Maduro's victory in the 2018 elections. The result was rejected by the opposition, non-governmental organizations and a number of countries, including the EU and the US, which subsequently recognized Juan Guaidó as the interim president of Venezuela. Maduro nevertheless managed to assert himself and retain power, while Washington imposed sanctions on the country and introduced an embargo on oil.
In 2024, elections were held again, after which the opposition and the government announced different results and winners.