Venezuela’s independent 200 plan coastal defense exercises have begun on 23 local time across the coast. The exercise is one of 27 territorial defense operations announced by President Maduro, according to national television. Defense Secretary Lopez, who oversees the exercises, said the defense exercises and military deployments are a deterrent “to bring us closer together as a nation and a collective” and to bring the country to “the best state of preparedness” in the face of threats.
According to French 24-hour news television, Maduro shouted to the United States in English when meeting with trade union leaders who supported him on the 23rd:"We want peace, peace forever. Don't start a crazy war!" Venezuela's Southern Television said on the 23rd that in the context of growing hostility from the United States and launching military operations off the coast of Venezuela and Colombia, Maduro said that if external aggression occurs, the working class must unite and activate mechanisms to defend peace.
Previously, U.S. President Trump authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. The US "Washington Post" said on the 23rd that US military aircraft also flew into the airspace near the coast of Venezuela. The moves have heightened concerns that Trump may be paving the way for the military overthrow of Maduro's regime. Some people familiar with U.S. operations in Latin America said the series of operations amounted to psychological warfare aimed at exacerbating divisions within Venezuela's armed forces or persuading Maduro to step down, but Trump did not make any remarks to allay concerns about the possibility of a full-scale military operation.
The U.S. Wall Street Journal, citing flight data, said that two U.S. Air Force B-1B "gun cavalry" bombers flew to international airspace near Venezuela on 23rd for a "force demonstration". Reuters said that Trump then said at a news conference that the report was fake news.
According to the Guardian, Trump said at a news conference that day that the U.S. could soon expand its military strikes on suspected drug smugglers and start chasing them on land, and the next step was ground action. ”Trump said he wasn’t sure whether the government would seek congressional approval, “I can’t imagine what objections they would have about it.”
Fox News said that when asked about the possibility of attacking Venezuela in the context of escalating tensions, Trump said he was “looking forward.”