President Nicolas Maduro has hit out at the US deployment of three warships off the coast of Venezuela as part of efforts to curb drug trafficking, calling the operation an "illegal" attempt at government change.
"What they're threatening to do against Venezuela — government change, a military terrorist attack — is immoral, criminal and illegal," Maduro told lawmakers on Friday.
"This is a matter of peace, of international law, for Latin America and the Caribbean. Anyone who commits an act of aggression against a country in Latin America is attacking all countries," he said.
President Donald Trump's administration has stepped up the pressure on Maduro, doubling its bounty to $50 million earlier this month on drug charges against the leftist strongman.
Earlier this week, a US source confirmed to the AFP news agency that three Aegis-class guided missile destroyers were heading to international waters off the South American country.
US media reported that 4,000 Marines could also be deployed.
Venezuela mobilises militia
In 2020, during Trump's first term in office, Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials were indicted in US federal court on several charges including participating in a "narco-terrorism" conspiracy.
The US Justice Department accused Maduro of leading a cocaine trafficking gang called "The Cartel of the Suns" that allegedly shipped hundreds of tonnes of narcotics into the United States over two decades, earning hundreds of millions of dollars.
Washington does not recognise Maduro's last two election victories.
Maduro said this week that he would be deploying 4.5 million militia members across Venezuela in response to US "threats," and called for weekend rallies decrying Washington.
The Venezuelan Militia, created in 2005 by the late President Hugo Chavez and formally established in 2010, is part of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces. Its vision is the "incorporation of the organised people" to guarantee the "comprehensive defence of the nation."
