Caracas, Venezuela – Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro issued a stark plea for unity on Thursday, urging the people of the United States to "unite with Venezuela for the peace of the Americas" as a formidable U.S. naval presence loomed in the Caribbean Sea. Speaking exclusively to CNN amid a massive rally in Caracas, Maduro decried the specter of "endless wars" and "unjust wars," explicitly referencing past U.S. interventions in Libya and Afghanistan as cautionary tales. His remarks, delivered on the sidelines of an event drawing thousands of supporters, underscored a deepening rift between Washington and Caracas, fueled by a U.S. military operation that Venezuela views as a prelude to invasion.
The rally, organized to mobilize Venezuela's youth against perceived external threats, saw Maduro pivot from fiery rhetoric to a direct message for U.S. President Donald Trump. Asked by CNN correspondent Stefano Pozzebon what he would say to Trump, Maduro responded in English: "Yes peace, yes peace." He elaborated in Spanish, calling on Americans to reject further conflict: "No more Libya. No more Afghanistan." Addressing the crowd shortly after, Maduro warned of an imminent "threat of a U.S. invasion," imploring his followers to "remain vigilant" and prepare for defense. The event, broadcast live on state television, featured chants of solidarity and displays of military hardware, amplifying Maduro's narrative of imperial aggression.
This appeal comes against the backdrop of an unprecedented U.S. military buildup in the region, which Washington has framed as a counter-narcotics campaign but which critics, including Maduro, interpret as preparation for regime change. Since late August 2025, the U.S. has deployed over a dozen warships, including the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford – the world's largest – along with destroyers, cruisers, amphibious assault vessels, and a nuclear submarine. The carrier alone carries more than 5,000 sailors and up to 75 aircraft, including F/A-18 Super Hornets and F-35 stealth fighters. Accompanying the flotilla are approximately 15,000 U.S. personnel, with half stationed ashore in Puerto Rico, which has emerged as a forward operating base complete with 10 F-35 jets and MQ-9 Reaper drones.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell described the operation as enhancing "capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors" tied to transnational criminal organizations. The deployment, under U.S. Southern Command, marks the largest U.S. military presence in the Caribbean since the 1989 invasion of Panama, according to analysts. President Trump has justified the escalation as essential to his "war on drugs," targeting routes allegedly funneling cocaine and other narcotics toward the U.S. mainland. In recent weeks, the administration has doubled a bounty on Maduro to $50 million, accusing him of direct involvement in drug trafficking networks like the Tren de Aragua gang.
Yet, from Caracas' perspective, the buildup reeks of ulterior motives. Venezuelan officials, including Foreign Minister Yván Gil, have labeled it a "psychological war" aimed at ousting Maduro, whose contested 2024 reelection victory remains unrecognized by the U.S. and much of the international community. Maduro has repeatedly invoked historical U.S. interventions, drawing parallels to Iraq and Grenada, and accused the Trump administration of fabricating drug charges to justify aggression. "This is not about drugs; it's about oil and control," Maduro stated during a September press conference, pointing to Venezuela's vast petroleum reserves.
The flashpoint igniting this crisis traces back to early September, when U.S. forces sank a Venezuelan speedboat in the southern Caribbean, killing all 11 aboard. President Trump announced the strike on September 2, releasing drone footage showing the vessel exploding in international waters. He claimed the boat, originating from Venezuela's Paria Peninsula, was smuggling narcotics under Tren de Aragua control and posed an imminent threat to U.S. security. Venezuelan state media, however, identified the victims as local fishermen from San Juan de Unare, with no drugs recovered from the wreckage. El Nacional and El Pitazo reported the incident occurred on September 1, labeling it a "heinous crime" against civilians.
This incident kicked off a broader U.S. campaign: As of mid-November, American forces have conducted at least 20 strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels across the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in over 80 deaths. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has defended the operations as lawful under Trump's designation of cartels as "narcoterrorists," equating drug smuggling to an armed attack on the U.S. However, legal experts, including those cited by BBC Verify, question the strikes' compliance with international maritime law, such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which prohibits interference with vessels in international waters absent clear evidence. No physical evidence of narcotics has been publicly disclosed in any strike, fueling accusations of extrajudicial killings.
In retaliation, Venezuela has declared a national state of emergency and mobilized its Bolivarian National Armed Forces, comprising 123,000 active personnel, alongside civilian militias that Maduro claims number over 8 million – though independent analysts from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) estimate the figure closer to 2 million, with variable training quality. State television has aired footage of troop movements across coastal states, including exercises simulating guerrilla resistance against amphibious landings. "Every Venezuelan is a soldier now," Maduro proclaimed in an October address, echoing calls for "asymmetric warfare" against superior firepower.
A centerpiece of this defensive posture is Venezuela's bolstering of air defenses with Russian-supplied weaponry. On October 23, Maduro announced the deployment of 5,000 Igla-S man-portable surface-to-air missiles (MANPADS) to "key air defense positions" nationwide. The Igla-S, comparable to the U.S. Stinger, has a range of up to 6 kilometers and can engage low-flying aircraft, helicopters, and drones at altitudes reaching 3,500 meters, according to Rosoboronexport specifications. While CNN could not independently verify the exact count, IISS reports confirm Igla-S systems as part of Venezuela's arsenal since 2010, often integrated with militias for rapid deployment. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López has been photographed inspecting the launchers, positioning them near oil facilities, radar sites, and naval approaches to deter U.S. reconnaissance flights.
Russia's role looms large, with Moscow providing not only the missiles but also S-300 and Buk-M2E systems, alongside training for Venezuelan operators. This alliance, deepened since 2019, has drawn U.S. condemnation as an "imperialist offensive," per Cuban and Nicaraguan statements at the recent Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) summit in Colombia. At the summit, 58 of 60 nations signed a declaration rejecting "the use or threat of force" in violation of international law – a veiled rebuke to Washington, though Colombia's President Gustavo Petro faced Trump's ire, including sanctions for allegedly harboring traffickers.
Regionally, the crisis has fractured alliances. Brazil and Mexico have urged de-escalation through diplomacy, with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva offering to mediate. Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Keith Rowley praised the U.S. strikes as a "strong deterrent," while the Cayman Islands' Coast Guard echoed support for disrupting "narco-terrorists." Britain, however, halted intelligence-sharing with the U.S. over concerns of complicity in potential regime-change operations.
On X (formerly Twitter), discourse reflects global unease. Guardian correspondent Tiago Rogero highlighted fears of attack in a November 12 post, linking to an analysis questioning Trump's true intentions. Polymarket traders have bet heavily against U.S.-Venezuela military engagement, with "NO" shares surging amid bets on diplomatic off-ramps. Venezuelan exiles in Miami, however, view the buildup as overdue pressure on Maduro's "narco-regime," per CBS News polling showing 60% domestic support for his ouster despite economic woes.
As the USS Gerald R. Ford patrols within striking distance, experts warn of miscalculation. "The U.S. force is too small for invasion but signals intent," notes Chris Sabatini of Chatham House, suggesting precision strikes on drug facilities as a more likely escalation. Maduro's peace overture, while rhetorically potent, masks a nation on wartime footing. With Igla-S launchers distributed and militias drilling, Venezuela's message is clear: Any aggression will exact a steep price. Yet, as Trump mulls land-based operations, the Caribbean teeters on the brink, where a single errant missile could ignite a conflagration neither side truly desires.
The international community watches warily, hoping Maduro's Thursday words – "Yes peace" – find echoes in Washington. For now, the Americas' peace hangs by a thread, woven from warships, missiles, and the fragile hope of dialogue.
