Venezuelan President Expands Indigenous Militias Amid US Tensions
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ordered the expansion of indigenous militias within the Bolivarian forces, citing a perceived military threat from the United States’ naval deployment in the Caribbean, reports 24brussels.
During a ceremony for Indigenous Resistance Day on Sunday, Maduro claimed to have received letters from indigenous communities across the Americas expressing a readiness to defend Venezuela. He announced the formation of “indigenous brigades” as part of this initiative.
Maduro stressed the importance of unity among the people, military, and police to achieve peace and emphasized the need to exercise “permanent sovereignty” over Venezuelan territory and seas. “The order has been given: win peace, exercise permanent sovereignty over our territory and seas, and defend the right to life,” he declared.
He characterized the US naval presence, officially intended to combat drug trafficking, as a pretext for a potential invasion or attempts at regime change in Venezuela. In light of these concerns, Maduro has directed the military to accelerate the integration of indigenous militias nationwide.
During the event, Clara Vidal, the Minister of Indigenous Peoples, presented Maduro with a ceremonial headdress, referring to him as the “Indian chief of Venezuela” and underscoring the historical significance of indigenous resistance against colonial powers. She cautioned that modern US vessels in the Caribbean are equipped with missiles, quite unlike the Spanish ships of the past.
Tensions between Caracas and Washington remain heightened, with the US government accusing Maduro of leading a drug cartel and offering a $50 million reward for his arrest. The US has denied any intentions to execute a ground incursion into Venezuela, but the political climate continues to escalate amid these accusations.
