Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
A week after President Trump met with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó at the White House and reiterated his support to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power, Venezuela’s armed forces and civilian militias staged a massive war drill over the weekend, reported Telesur.
The meeting between Trump and Guaidó on Feb 5 was nothing short of historic, suggests that the US could support a future military intervention to remove the Maduro regime.
The Trump administration has been tightening political, diplomatic, and economic screws on Maduro, but despite a crashed economy and hyperinflation, the regime continues to survive.
Back in 2017, Trump said he is “not going to rule out a military option” to confront the Venezuelan president.
Tensions in 2019 ran high after Guaido’s failed attempt to overthrow the regime.
Last month, Guaido was denied entry into the country’s National Assembly for his re-election as head of Congress, only to be reelected for a second term as speaker of parliament hours later.
The country continues to descend into chaos, and it appears that Maduro understands military intervention by Washington, or at least maybe a proxy force of some sort, could be imminent.
Maduro’s response to this lingering threat was to launch one of the most massive war drills the country has seen in years this weekend, called Bolivarian Shield 2020.
The objected of the exercise is to strengthen national defenses against armed aggressions:
“We started the Bolivarian Shield 2020 Exercise, with the deployment of our glorious FANB (Bolivarian National Armed Forces) in a Civic Military Union, with more than 2 million 300 thousand combatants mobilized to defend territorial integrity, independence and national sovereignty. We will preserve the Peace!” Maduro said.
Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino tweeted that Bolivarian Shield 2020 Exercise will be conducted through the weekend and across the country. It will help Maduro prepare and face future threats of “aggression” from Washington.
¿Cómo negarle al pueblo su derecho a defender a la Patria? Vaya que acto de justicia la plena incorporación de la Milicia a la Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana, hacen ustedes indestructible el #EscudoBolivariano2020 para proteger a nuestra amada Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/Qp1c6jHrWy
— Vladimir Padrino L. (@vladimirpadrino) February 15, 2020
Padrino tweeted another video of the drills that shows an assortment of weapons being used, from small arms to surface to air missiles
¡Febrero Rebelde! Hoy en desarrollo el segundo día del Ejercicio Militar #EscudoBolivariano2020. Tremendo balance hasta ahora, hemos conseguido, junto a la Milicia, aumentar el nivel de cohesión de la FANB. Felicitaciones a toda FANB. #EnDefensaDeLaPatria. ¡Venceremos! pic.twitter.com/i68hoWVa8h
— Vladimir Padrino L. (@vladimirpadrino) February 16, 2020
AFP’s Yuri Cortez tweets pictures of an infantry battalion securing streets in Caracas.
Member of 311 mechanized infantry battalion Liberator Simon Bolivar points their Ak 103 rifles next to a 120mm mortar during military exercises for the "Bolivarian Shield 2020 Operation' in #Caracas #photography #photojournalism #EscudoBolivariano2020 #Venezuela #FANB #15Feb pic.twitter.com/5JvCXy3i91
— Yuri Cortez (@YuriYurisky) February 15, 2020
Ahead of this weekend’s mass military exercises across the country, CNW tweeted pictures of heavy military equipment being deployed.
AMX 13 F3 self propelled artillery being transported on autopista 1 in Maracaibo pic.twitter.com/QyD7KWPSPi
— CNW (@ConflictsW) February 11, 2020
A quick video related to the BUK at La Carlota airbase. Video showing the radar was active today pic.twitter.com/onnQPOtXGd
— CNW (@ConflictsW) February 11, 2020
Somewhere in Táchira ( I will geolocate at a later date) an S-125 air defence convoy including 2 loaders with 2 missiles each and the command and control vehicles, launchers possibly at the back of the convoy pic.twitter.com/um0D8J6kba
— CNW (@ConflictsW) February 12, 2020
From the above post, the Full S-125 convoy in Táchira near San Cristobal including 2 launchers. Interesting to note is the motorbikes escorting the convoy with milicia holding Iglas pic.twitter.com/luolx5G889
— CNW (@ConflictsW) February 12, 2020
More photos of the BUK at La Carlota, as well as a ZU-23. A full BUK squad is deployed including radars, command and control and 2 launchers. pic.twitter.com/UmueJZLvJ5
— CNW (@ConflictsW) February 12, 2020
Venezuelan BUK with 2 launchers still located on the side of the Caracas- La Guaira Highway next to Caracas Maiquetia airport pic.twitter.com/yjBVbqPPLe
— CNW (@ConflictsW) February 14, 2020
Mi-35 from the 712 attack helicopter batallón in Barinas pic.twitter.com/tC8b3TZWDh
— CNW (@ConflictsW) February 14, 2020
S-125 and low blow radar deployed next to the Puente general rafael Urdaneta in Maracaibo pic.twitter.com/cEXfOag5f9
— CNW (@ConflictsW) February 14, 2020
VN-18s live firing in Bahia de Turiamo, Aragua pic.twitter.com/0Ce9IqTeCY
— CNW (@ConflictsW) February 15, 2020
S-125 convoy arriving at the Alcasa aluminium factory in Guayana city. Same location as the above photos pic.twitter.com/raqoZn8bUR
— CNW (@ConflictsW) February 16, 2020
So, could a military intervention in Venezuela to rid Maduro of power be the next big distraction from a recession-prone US economy?
I think this time America may look for a weaker country to show their power and hide the the weaknesses IRANIANS exposed them to the other day.We have countries citizens who are ready to die for their country IRAn being an example.we may prove this with Venezuela
Maybe. But the US sure got the better of the deal with Islamist Iran. And Maduro is in power by way of an election that is mostly not recognized as legal and way more countries recognize Guaidó as President and not Maduro. There are always lots of people willing to die for authoritarians and dictatorships. Sad but too often true.
Does that mean that Malta will be a dangerous place to take a holiday, John? The US has had eyes on that Island for a long time :)
Kissinger said ‘He who controls Malta, Cyprus and Crete, rules the world’. All for the Greater Israel Project and when Turkey invaded Cyprus, was that not all part of Kissinger’s desires and Operation Gladio exercises?
Its a long time ago and I believe it was, AM.
Can we safe to say that the Venezuelan Army are poorly equipped in terms miof litary hardware, in case of “missiles attack” from USRAELofA or “invasion”….?
Yep, that is sure the case. And Putz Putin and virus infected China will not come to their rescue. But I don’t think the US will invade. They will wait for Maduro & Company to collapse. And the icing on that collapsed cake is that the many billions Russia and China lent to Maduro will be lost. Serves them right.
keep on dreaming!…Venezuela have the world largets oil reserve..and now is under hands of Russia and China….both will not allow US invasion or somekind of ” arab spring” there!
I agree. the Russia admin is no longer a failing system that has to sit and watch whilst the US systematically attacks every ally and business interest.
Who said invasion? And “Arab Springs” are not how most governments are removed in Latin America. Generally, the head is removed by the military after they have been paid off. Or they side with one side or the other claiming the Presidency. At this time the current head is considered illegitimate by 5 times as many countries as support him. The regional organization of other Latin American countries says the current head was not elected in a fair election and the head of the Assembly who was just re-elected in a recognized democratic election should be President. The economy has collapsed due to US sanctions and Socialist restructuring. Oil sales are thus down to a trickle as the falling price of oil makes things worse. Russia and China are the losers as soon as the military wants to get paid and supports the legitimate Prez and removes the current illegitimate one. Just a matter of a short time.
Haven’t they got Russian defence systems and doesn’t Russia need to send some more bombers on a ‘goodwill tour’ to Venezuela.
What Venezuela has got, are good friends in both Russia and China, who have no desire to see their investments go to the US.
I should expect that Russian and Chinese supplies are imminent, if not there already in some quantity.
Note that Guaidó was reelected head of the democratically elected Assembly even though Maduro prevented him from even getting into the Assembly for the vote. This by Maduro whose election is not recognized by the Organization of American States and at least 5 times as many countries recognize Guaidó as President than recognize Maduro. Maduro holds undemocratic illegal power in Venezuela.
Don’t you take a break from all your gaslighting? Go outside and get some fresh air or something.
Hasn’t Venezuela got Russian defence systems in place, that have kept the US out of invading, so far?
How many wars does Trump wish to fund, during campaigning for the Presidential election? How many of his supporters vote the ‘peace ticket’ candidate?
Pfffffff, Voters are just a bloody nuisance for any party in the US and UK these days :)
Funnily enough I noticed that. As they try so hard to replace us with AI, supplied by Sorass and Common Purpose friends.
Who needs food when you have Russian systems in place? Unlike 30 years ago USA is oil independent.
If US is oil independent why does it want Venezuela’s supply and others?
Has anybody seen this Mint Press article? Bearing in mind the MSM and regime change lusters, and their media friends, will not be reporting this side of the story.
Media Presents Anger and Jeers Against Juan Guaido as Hometown Hero’s Welcome Upon his return to Venezuela, Juan Guaido was greeted by an enraged mob hectoring, jeering and manhandling him, kicking his car and covering him in water and other liquids… https://www.mintpressnews.com/media-paints-anger-against-juan-guaido-as-hometown-heros-welcome/264875/
Yeah, it’s not going to well for Guido. He will need lots of ‘supporters’ with him if he ventures onto the street. Not even his own US sponsored colleagues want him to lead them. Guido is and was a dud.
IMO, after Chavez, the Venezuelan admin saw this ‘coup’ coming. The Venezuelan army and its commanders, well most of them anyway, deserve praise for keeping the country from sinking into a US controlled chaos. Not long now for Guido. Either the Venezuelan people will pull his neck or his employers will yank his chain and tell him to get into his hole.
Over on Gateway Pundit, them and the sponsored trolls, feel Guaido is the 2nd Coming.
Sick of media dictated 21st Century disinformation.
They definitely want to have that equipment in good repair and operating condition. And to have personal experienced in using it who are competent. The best way to do that is to train with it on a regular basis. And to have maintenance facilities that are properly equipped with technicians who know what they’re doing.