Venezuela Deploys 15,000 Troops to Colombia Border Amid Rising U.S. Naval Presence
Venezuela has deployed 15,000 troops to its border with Colombia as tensions escalate with the United States, which intensifies its naval operations in the Caribbean. This strategic military move is intended to combat drug trafficking and has been publicly supported by Venezuelan authorities, reports 24brussels.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello confirmed on August 25, 2025, that these forces will be stationed in the western states of Zulia and Táchira, backed by aircraft, drones, and riverine patrols. “Here, we do fight drug trafficking; here, we do fight drug cartels on all fronts,” Cabello stated, adding that authorities have intercepted 53 tonnes of drugs so far this year. He urged Colombian officials to enhance their own security measures “to ensure peace along the entire axis.”
The decision to mobilize troops follows U.S. allegations linking President Nicolás Maduro and Cabello to the Cartel de los Soles, which the U.S. has designated a terrorist organization. Following these accusations, the United States increased the reward for Maduro’s capture on drug charges from $25 million to $50 million, while Cabello’s bounty rose from $10 million to $25 million.
As Maduro prepares for his third term, he has dismissed U.S. claims as attempts at regime change, asserting, “I am confident that we will overcome this test that life has imposed on us, this imperialist threat to the peace of the continent and to our country.” In response to the ongoing threats, the Venezuelan government has initiated a nationwide recruitment drive for militia members to bolster national security.
Reports indicate that the USS Lake Erie, a guided missile cruiser, and the USS Newport News, a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, are set to arrive in the southern Caribbean soon as part of U.S. anti-drug operations, further escalating the regional military presence.
