By Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News |
VENEZUELA PREPARES GUERRILLA-STYLE DEFENSE AMID US MILITARY BUILDUP
Venezuela is reportedly deploying weapons—including decades-old Russian-made equipment—and preparing to mount a guerrilla-style resistance should the United States launch an air or ground attack.
This approach, highlighted on Venezuelan state television, signals the country’s severe shortage of modern equipment and military manpower.
Tensions escalated after US President Donald Trump suggested the possibility of “ground operations” in Venezuela, remarking that the country could be “next,” following multiple strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and a significant US military buildup in the region. He later denied that US forces were preparing to strike inside Venezuelan territory.
President Nicolás Maduro, in power since 2013, insists the United States is attempting to remove him from office. He vowed that Venezuelan citizens and the armed forces would resist any such action.
The government’s “prolonged resistance” strategy includes deploying small military units at more than 280 locations, equipped to carry out sabotage and guerrilla warfare tactics.
US AIRCRAFT CARRIER STRIKE GROUP ENTERS LATIN AMERICAN REGION
In a dramatic escalation, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group has moved into the Latin American region.
The strike group joins eight warships, a nuclear submarine, and F-35 fighter aircraft already positioned in the Caribbean.
Washington recently increased its reward for information leading to President Maduro’s arrest—from US$15 million to US$50 million—accusing him of links to drug trafficking and transnational criminal networks, allegations Maduro denies.
US forces have conducted at least 19 strikes this year targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, resulting in at least 76 fatalities.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO DISTANCES ITSELF FROM ‘ZONE OF PEACE’ DECLARATION
Trinidad and Tobago has again distanced itself from a regional call for the Caribbean to remain a “zone of peace,” amid rising security tensions tied to the US military presence and the standoff with Venezuela.
During a recent EU–Latin America–Caribbean Summit in Santa Marta, Colombia, participating states signed a joint declaration calling for dialogue, maritime security cooperation, and peaceful resolution of disputes.
While present, Trinidad and Tobago formally distanced itself from the paragraph referencing the Caribbean as a zone of peace. Venezuela withdrew from the entire declaration.
This follows T&T’s earlier reserved stance during a recent CARICOM meeting, which discussed the US military buildup and its potential implications for regional security.
All other Caribbean delegates reaffirmed the need for stability, diplomacy, and peaceful conflict resolution in the region.
