Maduro Warns US Not to Pursue Regime Change
As the United States positions military forces near the Caribbean, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused Washington on Monday of planning a regime change under the guise of fighting drug trafficking.
U.S. officials have stated that the deployment is aimed at combating drug cartels in Latin America. However, Venezuelan authorities have dismissed that justification as a cover for more aggressive intentions.
“They are seeking regime change through military threats,” Maduro said during a press conference in Caracas alongside top military leaders, according to Reuters. “Venezuela is facing the greatest threat seen on our continent in the last 100 years.”
Maduro warned that if the U.S. launches a military strike, he would “constitutionally declare a republic in arms.” He emphasized that Venezuela’s armed forces are “super prepared” to defend the country.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil pushed back against the U.S. narrative in communications with Latin American counterparts. He pointed out that 87% of cocaine produced in Colombia exits through the Pacific Ocean, while only about 5% is trafficked via Venezuela — which lies on the Atlantic side, where U.S. forces have been deployed. Gil cited data from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s 2023 Global Report on Cocaine, noting that many drug shipments reaching the U.S. come via clandestine flights through the Caribbean.
Despite Maduro’s warnings, members of Venezuela’s opposition have welcomed the U.S. deployment, labeling the current government a “criminal enterprise” and expressing hope that international pressure will bring change.
Maduro, in turn, issued a sharp rebuke to U.S. President Donald Trump. “President Donald Trump, the pursuit of regime change is exhausted; it has failed as a policy worldwide,” he said. “You cannot pretend to impose a situation in Venezuela.” He warned that any military action would leave Trump’s “hands stained with blood.”
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