CARACAS (News Week) - 
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has warned he would “declare a republic in arms” if U.S. forces in the Caribbean attacked his country.
“In the face of this maximum military pressure, we have declared maximum preparedness for the defense of Venezuela,” Maduro said of the deployment, which he characterized as “an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat.”
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. State Department and Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry for comment on Monday.
Maduro’s remarks came as Washington prepared to expand its maritime presence in the region, deploying warships and thousands of personnel to target drug cartels.
While U.S. officials have not signaled plans for a land invasion, Maduro’s government has mobilized troops along the coast and border with Colombia and urged citizens to join civilian militias.
Maduro’s comments come after decades of strained relations between the two countries, with Washington refusing to recognize his presidency since 2019 in favor of the opposition leader Juan Guaidó.
The U.S. government said it would increase its maritime presence near Venezuela to go up against potential threats from drug cartels, and Maduro’s government has responded by deploying troops along the coast and encouraging Venezuelans to join the civilian militia.
Venezuela has accused the U.S. of attempting regime change and has now deployed 15,000 troops to the western frontier with Colombia.
Currently, the U.S. Navy has deployed the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie, the nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine USS Newport News, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson, the littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-St. Paul, and the amphibious assault ships USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale.
That accounts for roughly 4,500 personnel, including over 2,000 Marines, to waters near Venezuela in an attempt to target drug cartels. Three amphibious assault ships will be entering the region this week, according to the Associated Press.