Venezuela

venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro On Wednesday he ordered military exercises in the country’s largest neighborhoods after US forces blew up another ship allegedly transporting drugs from the Caribbean country.

President Trump said six “narcoterrorists” were killed in the strike on the ship near Venezuela, bringing the number of people killed in such attacks since early September to at least 27. Trump said the latest attack took place in international waters and that “Intelligence” confirmed the ship was trafficking narcotics and was on a known drug trafficking route.

Trump has also deployed eight warships, a nuclear-powered submarine and fighter jets to the region as part of what he has presented as an operation to combat drug smuggling into the United States.

the senate voted last week over a war powers resolution that would have prohibited the Trump administration from carrying out the strikes unless Congress specifically authorized them. The resolution did not pass.

Maduro, who is widely believed to have stolen last year’s presidential election, has accused Washington of plotting regime change.

In a message on the social network Telegram, Maduro said he was mobilizing the military, police and a civil militia to defend Venezuela’s “mountains, coasts, schools, hospitals, factories and markets.”

State television showed images of armored vehicles deployed in the sprawling, low-income Caracas suburb of Petare, a traditional bastion of socialist support.

Military exercises will also be carried out in the state of Miranda, neighboring Caracas.

He said the deployments are aimed at “winning peace.”

Earlier this month, Maduro said he was willing to declare a state of emergency over what he called the threat of US “aggression.” In August, thousands of citizens lined up in Caracas to join the country militia in case there is an American invasion.

Trump accuses Maduro of leading a drug cartel, accusations Maduro denies.

In August, the US Department of Justice doubled a reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture to $50 million.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said Wednesday that the United States was planning to “steal” Venezuela, once an oil-rich nation, “of its immense natural resources.”

Pressure on Maduro increased last week when the leader of the US-backed opposition, María Corina Machado, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for leading the peaceful resistance to his 12-year rule.

In:

• Nicolas Maduro
• Venezuela
• Trump Administration