Maduro calls for mobilization against US 'threat' in Caribbean

In an event in Caracas, the leader called on 'all popular, social, political, military and police forces' to 'not fall into provocations at any time, but to mobilize with patriotic fervor' to reject the 'imperialist ships' and 'military threats,' as well as what he called 'irresponsible exercises' in Trinidadian waters. Venezuela has been under permanent military mobilization across its territory for three months in response to what it denounces as a 'threat' from the U.S., referring to the naval and air deployment that Washington has maintained in the Caribbean near the South American nation since August. 'The world is going crazy, the world is at war, in a military war, in an economic war, in a psychological war, and they want to apply all those wars to Venezuela.' The Secretary General of the PSUV also explained that President Nicolás Maduro, 'in the midst of a war,' ordered this event to convene 'the party's bases so that they can make decisions and organize the structure to face any enemy.' 'Let the imperialism know it, let its allies know it, we will win,' added Cabello. During the event, there were mobilizations in Caracas and different regions of the South American nation, led by party leaders and authorities, such as the Minister of Education, Héctor Rodríguez, in Maracaibo, capital of the Zulia state (northwest, bordering Colombia). Oath-taking The chavismo swore in this Saturday thousands of street groups in Venezuela with the task of defending every 'centimeter' of the territory, in a context marked by the military presence of the United States in the Caribbean Sea, seen by Caracas as a 'threat'. The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, summoned this Saturday six eastern regions of the country to 'a vigil and a permanent march in the streets' in response to the announced resumption of military exercises by the United States in Trinidad and Tobago, amid growing tensions between Caracas and Washington. 'This is the time to turn the United Socialist Party of Venezuela into the most powerful organizational, social, political and defense machine of the entire territory,' added the leader of the National Assembly. 'Up front, in the Caribbean Sea, they have wanted to threaten us because they think that with the threat we are going to divide,' said Rodríguez. 'When the homeland is besieged by an enemy as desperate as imperialism (referring to the U.S.), we are all besieged,' pointed out Cabello, who reiterated that there are no bombs or missiles, only 'matachavistas'. Meanwhile, the Minister of the Interior, Diosdado Cabello, swore in the members of the CBBI in the coastal state of La Guaira (north, near Caracas), calling on them to 'be ready to respond to the call whenever, wherever, and however it may be' in case of 'an action against the country'. In this sense, he pointed out as the 'first mission' of these groups to prepare 'for the defense of the territory and peace'. The government sympathists present at the event committed to consolidating the committees 'as the main force' of chavismo and to guaranteeing a 'free, sovereign and independent homeland.' The PSUV denounced this Saturday that the U.S. seeks to 'unleash violent actions and sow a conflict' in the Caribbean with the 'Southern Lance' military operation, announced Thursday by Washington. For his part, the president of the Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, led a concentration in the state of Falcón (northwest), where he asked that 'not a single centimeter of land remain uncovered and unattended.' According to the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), some 260,000 groups called the Comprehensive Bolivarian Base Committees (CBBI) were formed, which are work teams 'in every street of the country'.