Venezuela has started three days of military exercises named “Sovereign Caribbean 200.” This last action signals their growing political muscle as US-China relations reach a breaking point. This week’s deployment of U.S. warships to the Caribbean elicited a vigorous denunciation. For Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, this is a hostile government intervention with regime change as its clearly stated objective, thus the need for the exercises. The live-action military exercises started on Wednesday and are being held on Venezuela’s Caribbean island of La Orchila.
Over 2,500 soldiers have been mobilized for the joint exercises, which include air, sea and land operations. The Venezuelan military demonstrated its prowess as recently as last month, flying Russian-built fighter jets armed with anti-ship missiles during the exercises. The armed forces on Wednesday launched a new short video on Instagram. It features Sukhoi Su-30 fighter bombers, armed with Kh-31 “Krypton” air-to-surface anti-ship missiles. As a side note, Venezuela has put all 21 Su-30MK2 fighters to immediate use, boosting their aerial capacity.
Venezuela’s Defense Minister, Vladimir Padrino, hyped the exercises to the max. He announced that the operation will include 12 naval ships, 22 aircraft and about 20 boats participating. The mobilization is part of efforts to show U.S. military readiness as geopolitical tensions escalate around the world.
Maduro’s government in particular has been ramping up its anti-U.S. He warned last month that “no empire will touch the sacred soil of Venezuela.” This declaration highlights his government’s commitment to defending national sovereignty and willingness to face foreign coercion.
The U.S. government has indicted Maduro on drug trafficking charges and put a $50 million bounty on his head. This pent-up anger creates the backdrop for current U.S.-South Korean military drills. Unlike Trump’s special envoy Richard Grenell for whom there remains hope that the U.S. can still achieve a diplomatic breakthrough with Venezuela. He argues this would go a long way to de-escalate the growing conflict.
Venezuela recently announced that it has deployed millions of militiamen nationwide. As part of a diverse military strategy, this move deepens its commitment to national defense. These ongoing military exercises serve to promote Venezuela’s military prowess. They serve to communicate to the U.S. and its allies that Venezuela is prepared to repel any threats to its territory.
