Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemns US destroyer deployment, calls it ‘illegal’ regime change attempt
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has denounced the deployment of three U.S. Navy warships near his country’s coastline, labeling the move an “illegal” attempt at regime change — despite widespread international criticism of the legitimacy of his own presidency.
According to U.S. officials, the Trump administration has ordered three Aegis guided-missile destroyers into the waters near Venezuela. The move is part of a broader strategy to counter threats from Latin American drug cartels, which the administration has increasingly tied to the Maduro government.
Earlier this month, President Trump authorized expanded military action against drug trafficking organizations, and placed a $50 million bounty on Maduro’s capture. This deployment marks one of the first significant military maneuvers in the region since that authorization.
Maduro, who is accused by Washington of rigging recent elections and ruling as a dictator, responded forcefully, accusing the U.S. of preparing for military aggression.
“What they’re threatening to do against Venezuela — regime change, a military terrorist attack — is immoral, criminal, and illegal,” Maduro told lawmakers. In response, he announced plans to mobilize 4.5 million militia members across the country.
“This is about peace, about international law, and the sovereignty of Latin America and the Caribbean. An attack on one country here is an attack on all,” he added.
The U.S. Justice Department has formally accused Maduro of leading the “Cartel de los Soles,” a drug trafficking organization allegedly responsible for smuggling massive quantities of cocaine into the United States since the early 2000s. In July, the group was designated as a global terrorist organization.
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