Maduro Announces Military Drills: Venezuela is ‘Unassailable’

Local Editor 

After US and its allies recognized an opposition leader as president of Venezuela, current President Nicolas Maduro announced military drills to show that his country is more than a match to any potential invader.

Venezuela's National Armed Forces will hold massive exercises between February 10 and 15, Maduro told journalists at a press conference on Friday. During the war games, he said, the troops will repel a simulated invasion and enhance their skills in defending the territories, coast and waterways of the Latin American state.

“Our Armed Forces make our country unassailable,” Maduro said, adding that the military is quite capable of standing against any aggressor that sets foot on Venezuela's soil. According to the president, the Venezuelan military has reached the “highest professional level.”

Venezuela indeed commands a sizeable military force, amounting to some half a million personnel, including both male and female soldiers. The military consists of the ground forces, the Navy, the Air Force as well as the National Guard and the National Militia. The Latin American state also continues the modernization of its military equipment, which has been started by Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chavez.

Subjected to the US military embargo since 2006, Venezuela turned to Russia and China – among others – to procure weapons and equipment. The Venezuelans currently have Russian-made Su-30MK fighter jets, several types of strike and transport helicopters, as well as a vast arsenal and weapons ranging from Russian laser-guided bombs to air-to-surface and air-to-ship missiles.

The army has remained loyal to the elected government, despite the reports of isolated small-scale uprisings among the lower ranks of the military. Venezuela remains in political turmoil, however, after the opposition leader and head of the National Assembly, Juan Guaido, declared himself “interim president” earlier this week, immediately receiving support from the US as well as a number of the Latin American countries.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team