THE NEW YORK TIMES: As U.S. warships and troops gather in the Caribbean, Mr. Maduro threatened an “armed fight” in response to any military action. He also appealed for peace.
President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela has warned that he would respond to any U.S. military action with an “armed fight” and claimed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was trying to draw President Trump into a war in the Caribbean that would mar his reputation.
“Mr. President, Donald Trump,” the Venezuelan leader said on Monday, “watch out, because Mr. Rubio wants to stain your hands with blood.”
Just a day later, on Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Trump announced that the United States had conducted a lethal strike in the southern Caribbean, near Venezuela, against a drug vessel that the administration said had departed from the South American nation.
The strike and Mr. Maduro’s statements come amid rising tensions between the two nations. In late August, the United States began moving warships and troops into the Caribbean, near Venezuelan waters — which the Trump administration has said was to combat drug trafficking.
But the size of the military buildup has led to speculation over whether the real goal is to oust Mr. Maduro, through military action or other pressure. » | Julie Turkewitz and Isayen Herrera | Reporting from Bogotá, Colombia and Caracas, Venezuela | Tuesday, September 2, 2025
En español:
Maduro dice que Trump va a ‘manchar sus manos de sangre’ si inicia una guerra con Venezuela: Mientras buques de guerra y soldados estadounidenses se reúnen en el Caribe cerca de Venezuela, Maduro amenazó con una “lucha armada” en respuesta a cualquier acción militar. También hizo un llamamiento a la paz. »
