Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is urging citizens to join a civilian militia linked to the armed forces to defend the country against perceived threats from the United States, AFP reported on September 15th. This call comes amid soaring regional tensions and a U.S. naval buildup in the Caribbean aimed at drug cartels. Maduro's appeal for citizens to learn how to shoot at military barracks was made as tensions between Venezuela and the United States have escalated in recent weeks, following Washington's deployment of a significant naval presence in the Caribbean. The purpose of this buildup has been stated as targeting drug cartels, according to AFP. In parallel, former U.S. President Donald Trump commented on the situation, stating on September 15th, "He [Nicolás Maduro] had an election that was wrong. It was almost as corrupt as our election of 2020." This statement was shared by X user lrozen. This report follows previous developments on September 15th between 12:32 AM UTC and 12:47 AM UTC, during which Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino López denounced U.S. airspace and maritime violations and reiterated Venezuela's warning against actions by Guyana or Trinidad and Tobago that imply aggression. U.S. military aircraft, including a P-8A Poseidon, were observed near Caribbean and Venezuelan airspace during this period. Additionally, personnel from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 225 were reported on the ground in Puerto Rico, suggesting a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Squadron deployment.
