Venezuela’s government has accused the United States of launching attacks on civilian and military installations across multiple states. This allegation follows a series of at least seven explosions heard around 02:00 local time on Saturday in the capital, Caracas. The Pentagon has not commented on the matter, directing inquiries to the White House, which has yet to respond.
Explosions and Civilian Response
Witnesses reported hearing low-flying aircraft and explosions that shook the ground. “The whole ground shook. This is horrible. We heard explosions and planes,” said Carmen Hidalgo, a 21-year-old office worker, as she hurried home from a birthday party. Smoke was seen rising from a military hangar, while another military site in Caracas experienced a power outage.
In response to the situation, the Venezuelan government called for public mobilization. A statement urged, “People to the streets! The Bolivarian Government calls on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.” President Nicolás Maduro announced that he had ordered the implementation of all national defense plans and declared a state of external disturbance.
Military Actions and Diplomatic Tensions
This escalation occurs amid ongoing U.S. military operations targeting alleged drug-smuggling activities in the region. Recently, Maduro expressed willingness to negotiate an agreement with the U.S. to combat drug trafficking, despite tensions between the two nations. He accused the U.S. of seeking to instigate a government change in Venezuela to gain access to its vast oil reserves.
The U.S. has accused Maduro of narco-terrorism, and a recent drone strike attributed to the CIA targeted a docking area associated with Venezuelan drug cartels. This marked the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the onset of U.S. strikes on boats in September. U.S. President Donald Trump had previously indicated that he might order strikes on Venezuelan territory.
In an effort to tighten economic pressure on Venezuela, U.S. forces have been actively engaging boats in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean since early September. As of last Friday, reports indicate that there have been 35 known boat strikes, resulting in at least 115 fatalities. This military presence represents one of the largest U.S. deployments in the region in decades, following the arrival of advanced naval vessels.
Trump has characterized these military actions as necessary to combat the influx of drugs into the United States, declaring an “armed conflict” with the drug cartels. The Federal Aviation Authority has also restricted U.S. commercial flights in Venezuelan airspace due to “ongoing military activity,” reflecting the heightened tensions between the two nations.
As the situation unfolds, the international community watches closely, aware that the ramifications could extend far beyond Venezuela’s borders.