Venezuela escalates tensions

December 8, 2025

The Venezuelan armed forces inducted 5,600 new soldiers on Saturday, a move that aligns with what the government describes as growing military pressure from the United States. The ceremony took place at Fuerte Tiuna, the country’s largest military base, following President Nicolas Maduro’s recent appeal for expanded recruitment. His call came after the United States deployed a fleet of warships and the world’s largest aircraft carrier to the Caribbean, officially to counter drug trafficking.

Addressing the recruits, Colonel Gabriel Rendon said the armed forces would not permit what he called an invasion by an imperialist power. Venezuelan authorities argue that the US deployment is a cover for an operation aimed at removing Maduro and securing the nation’s oil reserves. Officials have accused US forces of conducting lethal strikes on more than 20 vessels, causing at least 87 deaths. Washington has increased its own pressure, accusing Maduro of leading the alleged Cartel of the Suns, which the US designated a terrorist organisation last month.

Venezuela’s security apparatus includes about 200,000 active soldiers and a similar number of police personnel. Political tensions continue to escalate in parallel. Former opposition governor Alfredo Diaz died in prison on Saturday while facing terrorism and incitement charges. He is the sixth opposition figure to die in custody since November 2024. Rights group Foro Penal said Diaz had been held in isolation for a year with only one family visit. The organisation reports at least 887 political prisoners in the country.

These detentions followed protests after the disputed July election in which Maduro claimed a third term. The unrest resulted in 28 deaths and nearly 2,400 arrests. Opposition leader and Nobel laureate Maria Corina Machado said the recent deaths reflect a sustained pattern of state repression.