Maduro Warns of Emergency as U.S. Military Buildup Escalates
Caracas — Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said Monday that his government has begun consultations on declaring a state of emergency, warning that the country must be ready to defend itself if attacked by the United States.
In a televised address, Maduro accused Washington of preparing a military strike, saying the move would threaten Venezuela’s “peace, stability, and sovereignty.”
Earlier in the day, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez told foreign diplomats that Maduro had already signed a decree granting himself special powers to act on matters of national defense if the U.S. “dares to attack our homeland.” However, a government source later told AFP that the decree had not yet been signed, but was ready to be enacted “at any time.”
The warning comes as the Maduro government placed Venezuela on high alert following a major U.S. naval deployment near its shores. President Donald Trump recently dispatched eight warships and a nuclear-powered submarine to the southern Caribbean, officially to combat drug trafficking. But analysts and Venezuelan officials say the move is aimed squarely at pressuring Maduro.
U.S. forces have already sunk three suspected drug boats in the Caribbean in recent weeks, killing 14 people — actions criticized by U.N. experts as possible “extrajudicial executions.” According to NBC News, U.S. military planners are now considering options that could extend operations inside Venezuelan territory.
If enacted, an emergency decree would allow Maduro, whose 2018 re-election is rejected by much of the international community, to suspend basic rights and expand presidential powers.
Vice President Rodríguez expressed confidence that Venezuelans would rally behind Maduro in the event of conflict. “Venezuela is united in the defense of our country,” she said. “We will never surrender our homeland.”
Maduro also claimed that U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres privately shared concerns about what he described as an “unprecedented escalation” by Washington. The U.N. has not confirmed Maduro’s account.
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