Maduro rails at ‘illegal’ U.S. deployment off Venezuela

President Nicolas Maduro on Friday (August 23, 2025) hit out at the U.S. deployment of three warships off the coast of Venezuela as part of efforts to curb drug trafficking, calling the operation an “illegal” attempt at regime change.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has stepped up the pressure on Mr. Maduro, doubling its bounty to $50 million earlier this month on drug charges against the leftist strongman.

Earlier this week, a U.S. source confirmed to AFP that three Aegis-class guided missile destroyers were heading to international waters off the South American country. U.S. media reported that 4,000 Marines could also be deployed.

“What they’re threatening to do against Venezuela — regime change, a military terrorist attack — is immoral, criminal and illegal,” Mr. Maduro told lawmakers.

“This is a matter of peace, of international law, for Latin America and the Caribbean. Anyone who commits an act of aggression against a country in Latin America is attacking all countries,” he said.

In 2020, during Mr. Trump’s first term in office, Mr. Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials were indicted in a U.S. federal court on several charges including participating in a “narco-terrorism” conspiracy.

The U.S. Justice Department accused Mr. Maduro of leading a cocaine trafficking gang called “The Cartel of the Suns” that shipped hundreds of tons of narcotics into the United States over two decades, earning hundreds of millions of dollars.

Washington does not recognize Mr. Maduro’s last two election victories.

Mr. Maduro said this week that he would be deploying 4.5 million militia members across Venezuela in response to U.S. “threats,” and called for weekend rallies decrying Washington.