Venezuela Sends 15,000 Troops to Border as US Warships Approach

Venezuela has deployed 15,000 troops, along with drones, aircraft, and river security, to its border with Colombia to combat drug trafficking, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced, citing the seizure of 53 tonnes of drugs this year. The move follows U.S. accusations that President Nicolás Maduro and Cabello are tied to drug cartels, with Washington offering rewards of up to $50 million for Maduro’s capture. Maduro rejected the claims as an imperialist threat, Al‑Jazeera has reported. Meanwhile, the U.S. has sent two additional navy vessels—the USS Lake Erie and USS Newport News—to the Caribbean to join a larger amphibious squadron targeting Latin American drug cartels.