CARACAS – Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has accused the United States of mounting the “greatest threat our continent has seen in a hundred years” following the arrival of several U.S. warships in the Caribbean.

Speaking at a rare press conference, Maduro described the U.S. deployment as a “completely criminal and bloody operation”. Washington recently dispatched multiple vessels to the region as part of an anti-drug operation, including the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, USS Sampson, and the cruiser USS Lake Erie. Maduro claimed the U.S. naval presence in the area represents more than 1,200 missiles.

In response, Venezuela has declared “maximum readiness”, mobilizing troops along the coast and the Colombian border. Maduro also called on civilians to join a militia force, vowing to defend the nation against any potential aggression. “In the face of this military pressure, we have declared maximum alert for the defense of Venezuela,” he said, warning that he would constitutionally declare the country a “republic in arms” if attacked.

Maduro further claimed that communications with Washington have collapsed, and he directly warned former U.S. President Donald Trump that his advisers—particularly Marco Rubio—were steering the U.S. toward a “bloodbath with the slaughter of the Venezuelan people.”

Tensions between Washington and Caracas have been escalating for years. The U.S. has accused Maduro of leading a drug cartel and previously offered a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest. Venezuela has consistently rejected these allegations, dismissing them as an effort to force a regime change.

Neither the United States nor the European Union recognizes Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate president, citing widespread allegations of fraud in the country’s last two presidential elections. Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, continues to face deep international isolation alongside a severe domestic crisis.