Venezuela

The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, said Monday that he would deploy 4.5 million members of the militia in response to “extravagant threats” by the United States after Washington lifted the reward for its arrest at $ 50 million and launched anti -drug operations in the Caribbean.

“This week, I will activate a special plan with more than 4.5 million militiamen to guarantee the coverage of the entire national territory: militias that are prepared, activated and arm,” Maduro announced on state television.

Official figures say that the Venezuelan militia, founded by the predecessor of Maduro, Hugo Chávez, contains approximately 5 million people, although it is believed that the real number is smaller.

The total population of Venezuela is around 30 million.

Maduro criticized “the renewal of extravagant, strange and extravagant threats” from the United States

“We are also deployed throughout the Caribbean … in our sea, our property, Venezuelan territory,” said Interior Minister, Diosdado Cabello.

The administration of President Trump at the beginning of this month doubled his generosity at $ 50 million for the arrest of Maduro, who faces drug trafficking charges.

Washington, who does not recognize the latest two electoral victories of Maduro, accuses the Venezuelan of leading a cocaine trafficking gang called Los Soles Cartel. The Trump administration announced sanctions against the group and the administration of Maduro last month.

Earlier this month, Mr. Trump directed to the army To attack drug cartels in Latin America, a source familiar with the confirmed issue to News themezone.

According to reports, the United States Army has also deployed several ships in the Southern Caribbean, as part of Trump’s repression about Latin American drug posters. Two informed sources on the matter told the Reuters news agency that three American destroyers will soon arrive at the coast of Venezuela.

An American official informed about planning told News that he is severely, the USS Jasson Dunham and USS Sampson will arrive soon. The official, who was not authorized to comment on military planning, told the AP that the ships would be deployed “over the course of several months.”

Although he did not mention the recent actions of the United States specifically, Maduro thanked those who expressed his support against what he called “rotten refrain” of threats.

Maduro asked the political base of his government to advance with the formation of peasant and workers militias “in all industries.”

“Rifles and missiles for the peasant force! To defend the territory, sovereignty and peace of Venezuela,” Maduro said.

Last September, the We use a plane Belonging to Maduro and brought it to the United States, with the Department of Justice claiming that the plane was exported as Florida in violation of US sanctions.

• Nicolas Maduro
• Venezuela