Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López accused the Trump administration on Tuesday of running a disinformation campaign to justify possible military intervention in Venezuela. In a statement shared on social media, he said Washington was spreading false reports of U.S. aircraft near Venezuelan islands as part of “psychological operations and cognitive warfare.”
Comparison to Vietnam
López drew a parallel to the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident, which the U.S. used to escalate its war in Vietnam. He alleged that American forces could even damage their own aircraft to “manufacture an incident” and then blame Caracas.
Direct Accusations
The minister named U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Mauricio Claver-Carone as orchestrators of what he called “bellicose actions.” He insisted Venezuela remains pacifist but warned that its armed forces stand ready to defend “territorial integrity with firmness and serenity.”
Rising Tensions
The accusations follow a deadly U.S. military strike earlier this month in the southern Caribbean that left 11 people dead. Washington said the target was a drug-smuggling vessel, but President Nicolás Maduro labeled it “an act of murder.”
Venezuela’s Military Response
On Sunday, López announced the deployment of 25,000 troops, naval units, and drones to secure border regions and waterways used by traffickers. The U.S., meanwhile, has reinforced its presence by sending 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico, framing the mission as a counternarcotics effort.
Maximum Alert
López concluded that Venezuela’s armed forces remain “on maximum alert” and would act in unity with civilians to defend sovereignty and independence.
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