In a dramatic escalation of long-simmering hostilities, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced today that he is poised to declare a national state of emergency should the United States launch any military action against his country.
The move comes amid a flurry of recent U.S. naval deployments and lethal strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels off Venezuela’s coast, which Maduro’s government has branded as acts of “imperialist aggression.”
Speaking in a nationally televised address from the presidential palace in Caracas, Maduro framed the potential decree as a constitutional safeguard for Venezuela’s sovereignty. “Today, the consultation process begins to declare a state of emergency in accordance with our constitution—to protect our people, our peace, and our stability if Venezuela is attacked by the American empire,” he declared, his voice steady but laced with defiance.
Flanked by top military brass and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro emphasized national unity, vowing that “every citizen will have the support and protection of all forces of Venezuelan society to respond to any threat.”
