Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Friday that his country would move to a stage of "armed struggle" if it were attacked.
Maduro said that while Venezuela is "still in the phase of unarmed struggle," any attack would prompt a response from "the whole people against aggression, whether local, regional or national."
Maduro made the comments during the "operational and organizational activation of the entire Bolivarian National Militia," noting that Venezuela is in an "enlistment and preparation phase."
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The country will proceed with "the deployment of the defensive, training, and retraining capacities of the entire population."
During "activation days," Venezuelans will receive training to defend the country against a US military deployment.
He demanded that US President Donald Trump "abandon his plan for a violent regime change in Venezuela and throughout Latin America, and the Caribbean. And respect the sovereignty, the right to peace and the independence of our countries."
It followed Trump's warning Friday that Venezuelan military aircraft would be "shot down" if they approached US naval vessels. That was after two Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets flew above a US ship dispatched to the region to combat criminal organizations and "narco-terrorism."’
"I would say they’re going to be in trouble. We'll let them know about that … if they fly in a dangerous position," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, referencing the F-16 overflight that the Pentagon called "highly provocative."
Maduro maintained that "Venezuela has always been willing to talk" with the US, but demands "respect for our country."
Earlier Friday, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said a deployment of US aircraft, including 10 F-35 fighter jets sent to an air base in Puerto Rico, threatens the Maduro government.
Gil said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is justifying the deployment "using as a pretext a supposed pursuit of drug trafficking," a claim Gil called "the biggest lie.
Trump’s threat
President Donald Trump warned Friday that Venezuelan military aircraft that approach US naval vessels will be “shot down.”
“I would say they’re going to be in trouble. We'll let them know about that … if they fly in a dangerous position,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. His remarks came one day after two Venezuelan F-16 fighter jets “flew near” a US warship in the Caribbean Sea.
The US Defense Department called the move “highly provocative” and warned the Venezuelan government that it should not interfere with US counter-narcotics or counter-terror operations.
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Trump emphasized the US’ commitment to stopping drug trafficking from Venezuela and elsewhere. “We don’t want drugs coming in from Venezuela or anybody else, or any place else, so we’ll be tough on that,” he said.
Asked if the US sought regime change in Venezuela, Trump said, “Well, we’re not talking about that, but we are talking about the fact that you had an election, which was a very strange election. To put it mildly, I’m being very nice when I say that.”
He claimed that Venezuelan prisons “have been opened up to our country,” including members of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization, he said were now in the US.
Trump previously signed an executive order calling for increasing the use of military force against Latin American drug cartels. Following Trump’s orders, a US naval group, including seven warships and a submarine, were dispatched to Caribbean waters near Venezuela on Aug. 28.
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