Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino announced the deployment of military vessels and drones to patrol the coastline in response to U.S. warships sent to combat drug trafficking, after the U.S. doubled the bounty on President Maduro to $50 million for drug charges. Amid rising tensions, Maduro dismissed U.S. accusations of drug trafficking and mobilized local militias for national security, while analysts view the U.S. military presence as a tactic to pressure negotiations rather than an imminent invasion.
