Maduro brandishes sword at rally as he rails against 'imperialist aggression' amid rising tensions with US

Venezuelan person Nicolás Maduro delivered a defiant code successful Caracas earlier this week, brandishing a sword and informing supporters to hole for confrontation with what helium called "imperialist aggression" arsenic President Donald Trump said the United States volition "very soon" statesman stopping suspected Venezuelan cause traffickers connected land.

Maduro appeared astatine a wide rally successful the superior holding the sword of Simón Bolívar, the 19th-century independency person regarded arsenic the liberator of overmuch of South America. Maduro told supporters that the state was facing a decisive moment. 

The Associated Press reported him saying that, "For anyone, whether civilian, politician, military, oregon police. Let nary 1 marque excuses. Failure is not an option. The homeland demands it! Our top effort and sacrifice. And with (Simon) Bolívar, I travel to accidental that if the homeland demands it, the homeland volition person our lives, if necessary," helium declared portion raising Bolívar’s sword.

TRUMP SAYS US WILL BEGIN STOPPING VENEZUELAN DRUG TRAFFICKERS BY LAND: 'GOING TO START VERY SOON'

Venezuelan person Nicolas Maduro brandishes a sword said to person belonged to independency leader Simon Bolivar during a civic-military lawsuit astatine the subject academy successful Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025.  (Ariana Cubillos/AP Photo)

Maduro framed the concern arsenic a conflict against what helium described arsenic outer threats, urging Venezuelans to mobilize against immoderate overseas aggression.

The code came arsenic tensions person risen pursuing months of U.S. maritime strikes that Washington says targeted vessels utilized by cause traffickers. 

Reuters has reported that much than 80 radical person been killed since September, and a abstracted Reuters study connected Friday elaborate heightened surveillance and information crackdowns successful coastal communities wherever the strikes occurred.

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Venezuelan person Nicolás Maduro brandishes a sword during an lawsuit astatine the subject academy successful Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Ariana Cubillos/AP Photo)

Speaking connected Thanksgiving to U.S. work members, Trump said the United States volition grow its efforts from oversea interdiction to onshore operations. "In caller weeks, you’ve been moving to deter Venezuelan cause traffickers, of which determination are many. Of course, determination aren’t excessively galore coming successful by oversea anymore. Have you astir apt noticed that?" Trump said.

He added that maritime operations person already stopped an estimated 85% of drugs arriving by sea. "You astir apt noticed that present radical aren’t wanting to beryllium delivering by sea, and we’ll beryllium starting to halt them by onshore also. The onshore is easier, but that’s going to commencement precise soon."

Trump said traffickers are liable for "hundreds of thousands of radical a year" dying from the "poisons" brought into the United States. "We pass them, halt sending poison to our country," helium said.

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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aft speaking to troops via video from his Mar-a-Lago property connected Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, successful Palm Beach, Fla.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Earlier this month, Trump said helium had not ruled retired sending U.S. troops to Venezuela arsenic portion of the administration’s crackdown connected transgression networks tied to elder figures successful Caracas. "No, I don’t regularisation retired that, I don’t regularisation retired anything," helium said. 

He besides near country for talks. "We whitethorn beryllium having immoderate conversations with Maduro, and we’ll spot however that turns out. They would similar to talk," Trump told reporters implicit the weekend.

Since aboriginal September, U.S. strikes crossed the Caribbean and eastbound Pacific person destroyed dozens of vessels. U.S. officials accidental galore were linked to Venezuelan and Colombian transgression groups.