CARACAS - Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced that his country possesses 5,000 Russian-made missiles capable of defending against U.S. military forces in the Caribbean. The statement was made during a televised address, amid escalating tensions between Venezuela and the United States.

Maduro said the missiles, identified as Igla-S short-range surface-to-air systems, are strategically positioned at key air defense sites across the country. He described the deployment as essential to “guarantee peace and protect national sovereignty.”

“Venezuela stands ready to defend its skies and its territory,” Maduro declared. “We have the capacity to ensure peace through strength and preparedness.”

The president’s comments come as relations between Caracas and Washington continue to deteriorate. The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump authorized a series of military operations targeting vessels off the Venezuelan coast, which the United States claimed were involved in drug trafficking.

In addition, Trump confirmed that he had authorized the CIA to conduct operations inside Venezuelan territory, a move that drew international criticism and prompted warnings from United Nations experts about potential violations of sovereignty and international law.

Maduro’s latest remarks are being viewed by analysts as an attempt to project military strength and rally domestic support amid ongoing political and economic turmoil. However, the claim of possessing such a large arsenal of Russian weaponry has also raised concerns across the region, given the growing militarization of the Caribbean amid deepening U.S.–Venezuela tensions.

Both Washington and regional observers have yet to respond formally to Maduro’s statements, but diplomatic sources warn that the Caribbean could face renewed instability if rhetoric continues to escalate on both sides.