Venezuela's Military Training & US Response: A Look at Regional Tensions

Escalating Tensions in Venezuela: Military Drills and Public Discontent

Former US President Donald Trump recently shared a troubling video depicting military training in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, where civilians are learning to handle large assault rifles. This comes as recent polls suggest that a majority of Venezuelans support the US's hardline stance against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. "TOP SECRET - We have footage of Venezuelan militia training. This is a VERY serious threat!" Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, attaching the video purportedly documenting the training.

Concern or Sarcasm?

It remains unclear whether Trump is being sarcastic or genuinely concerned about the "mass training of armed civilians" in Venezuela. The scene in the video appears chaotic, accompanied by much shouting.

Venezuelan Response to US Naval Deployment

According to AFP, the Venezuelan government organized training for thousands of civilians last weekend, including weapons handling and other “revolutionary resistance” tactics – a response to Trump's deployment of warships near Venezuela. Another video, allegedly depicting civilian training, shows ordinary Venezuelan citizens handling guns, with uniformed soldiers providing guidance. Soldiers can be heard in the video shouting to participants to “aim at Trump.”

Growing US Military Presence

US warships were first deployed near Venezuela about a month ago, and the US has also deployed F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico for support. The mission of these forces is to combat drug activities in Venezuela: Since September 2, the US Navy has killed 14 “narco-terrorists” in at least two operations targeting Venezuelan drug-smuggling vessels.

Accusations and Counter-Accusations

Venezuelan President Maduro has accused Trump of attempting to push for regime change in Venezuela by increasing military pressure, but Trump has denied this claim. The US does not recognize the legitimacy of Maduro's regime, and last summer, offered a $50 million (approximately 360 million RMB) reward for his capture due to outstanding drug charges against him in New York.

Polls: 70% of Venezuelans Disapprove of Maduro

An exclusive survey shared with the New York Post by global strategic consulting firm Panterra revealed that the majority of Venezuelans do not believe Maduro's election was legitimate, citing allegations of “vote stealing” in the July 2024 (most recent) and prior elections.

Hopes and Apprehensions

“70% of Venezuelans who share no ideological alignment with the Maduro government, hold in their hearts hope for the future but also concern for political oppression,” Panterra stated in a release. “Over half the population believes that Maduro will be out of power within 6 months, with 36% believing he will fall within 3 months.” The survey was conducted from August 21 to 31, interviewing 1,200 Venezuelans within the country, to understand their views on the Venezuelan government and the United States – the results revealing a “very low approval rating” for Trump among Maduro supporters.

Diverging Viewpoints

The survey showed that among Maduro supporters, only 6% had a favorable view of the United States, and only 4% had a favorable view of Trump. In contrast, approval of the US and Trump was significantly higher among Venezuelans who oppose Maduro: 55% and 44%, respectively, had a favorable view of the US and Trump.

Potential Migration

The survey also found that 80% of Venezuelans who do not support Maduro said: If regime change were to occur in Venezuela, relatives who have emigrated to the United States would likely return home. Panterra noted: “If the United States supports regime change in Venezuela, (those who do not support Maduro) believe that overseas Venezuelans will return home, and that a democratic Venezuela will become a strong ally of the United States in Latin America.”