The Venezuela Military Crisis has reached a dangerous new phase as U.S. military strikes against Venezuelan vessels continue to escalate tensions in the Caribbean, prompting massive defense exercises from President Nicolás Maduro’s government and drawing international support from Russia and China.
On September 2, 2025, U.S. forces struck a speedboat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela to Trinidad and Tobago, killing all 11 people aboard. President Trump released video footage of the strike, claiming the vessel was operated by the Tren de Aragua gang and transporting narcotics, though no evidence of drugs or weapons has been provided. A second U.S. strike on September 15 killed three more people on another Venezuelan boat.
Venezuelan Military Response Intensifies
In response to the U.S. military buildup of 4,000 troops and eight warships in the Caribbean, Venezuela launched the “Independencia 200” defense exercises on September 11, 2025. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced the deployment of artillery, air force, and naval units to protect 284 critical points including airports, ports, and industrial sites across the country.
President Maduro declared that Venezuelan coastlines must remain “free from invaders and violent groups,” emphasizing that the nation’s resources “will never belong to the U.S. empire.” The exercises involve the Bolivarian Militia, which has seen massive enrollment increases as Venezuelans sign up for potential military service. Venezuela has also increased border troops from 10,000 to 25,000 to combat drug trafficking operations.
International Powers Rally Behind Venezuela
The crisis has drawn strong international reactions, with Russia and China expressing solidarity with Venezuela. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova rejected “the threat of the use of force against sovereign states” and affirmed Venezuela’s “inalienable right to freely determine its political, economic, and social path without external pressure.”
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil welcomed Russian support, calling the presence of U.S. nuclear submarines off Venezuelan coasts “an unacceptable threat to sovereignty.” Russia has historically provided crucial support to Maduro’s government, including financial lifelines through Rosneft oil deals and assistance in circumventing U.S. sanctions.
The military escalation began after the Trump administration doubled the reward for Maduro’s capture to $50 million and deployed naval forces under an anti-narcotics mission. On September 4, Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets conducted a flyover of the USS Jason Dunham, prompting Trump to authorize shooting down Venezuelan planes if they threaten U.S. ships. The Pentagon responded by deploying ten F-35 fighters to Puerto Rico for combat air patrols.
Legal experts have questioned the strikes’ legality under both U.S. and international law, while Venezuela has accused the United States of committing extrajudicial murder. The Venezuelan government denied the initial strike occurred, calling the video footage fake, though local residents confirmed the incident and posted tributes to the deceased on social media.