Dangerous escalation between Washington and Caracas.. Special American forces surround Maduro

The tensions between the United States and Venezuela have entered an unprecedented phase following the deployment of elite forces by the U.S. Department of Defense in the Caribbean region, including units from the Green Berets, Delta Force, and the Navy SEALs known for killing Osama bin Laden.

The Wall Street Journal reported that a U.S. official stated that American forces are conducting exercises less than 90 miles from the Venezuelan coast, which observers consider an indication of Washington's intention to move to oust President Nicolas Maduro.

In response, Caracas announced a general mobilization, gathering more than a million militia fighters alongside the army, in the largest military mobilization the country has seen since the 1980s. Maduro also declared a state of emergency, accusing Washington of preparing for "military aggression" and asserting that his country "will exercise its legitimate right to self-defense".

While the United States insists that the movements aim to combat drug trafficking, critics argue that the strikes that resulted in the deaths of 27 people represent "extrajudicial executions".

Meanwhile, new images showed Venezuelan militias including elderly men and women undergoing intensive military training, while Russian-made aircraft flew over the exercise sites.
Analysts say this mutual military display reflects a rare show of force between the two sides, but there are no immediate indications of a full-scale war.