The Venezuelan military is conducting military exercises and displaying the country’s Russian-built fighter jets following the deployment of multiple U.S. warships off the coast of Venezuela and President Donald Trump’s strikes against drug traffickers in the Caribbean.
CNN reported that the Venezuelan military has mobilized over 2,500 soldiers on the island of La Orchila for the “Sovereign Caribbean 200” exercises, which will include land, air, and sea drills. The outlet noted that Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced that the military exercises will involve 22 aircraft, 12 naval ships, and roughly 20 boats.
According to CNN, Padrino López confirmed that the military exercises, which started on Wednesday, were part of Venezuela’s response to the Pentagon deploying numerous warships recently in the Caribbean.
Highlighting this week’s military exercises, Padrino López said, “There will be air defence deployments with armed drones, surveillance drones, submarine drones … We are going to implement electronic warfare actions.”
In addition to the military exercises, CNN reported that Venezuela has also displayed a show of force with the country’s Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 MK2 fighter jets, which feature anti-ship missiles.
A video shared on X, formerly Twitter, shows the Venezuelan Air Force’s Sukhoi Su-30 MK2 fighter jets, which the Venezuelan military showcased this week.
Venezuela’s show of force comes after President Donald Trump announced in a Truth Social post on Monday that the U.S military carried out a second strike against a drug trafficking vessel.
“This morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a SECOND Kinetic Strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” Trump wrote. “The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S.”
The 47th president warned that drug trafficking cartels threaten the national security, foreign policy, and vital interests of the United States. Trump also confirmed in his post that three terrorists were killed and no U.S. military members were harmed in the strike.
“BE WARNED — IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU!” Trump added. “The illicit activities by these cartels have wrought DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES ON AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES, killing millions of American Citizens. NO LONGER.”
A video shared by the president shows the execution of Monday’s U.S. military strike against the drug trafficking vessel.
