Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced on Monday that his government is prepared to declare a state of emergency in response to what he described as growing U.S. “aggression.”Maduro’s warning comes after a series of deadly U.S. military strikes on vessels Washington claims were being used for drug trafficking.
The Venezuelan leader accused the United States of violating international law and threatening his country’s sovereignty.“We will not stand idly by while foreign powers attack our people under false pretexts,” Maduro said in a televised address. He vowed to mobilize Venezuela’s armed forces and take “extraordinary measures” if the situation escalates.The U.S. has not commented directly on Maduro’s remarks, but officials in Washington have long accused Venezuela of being a hub for narcotics trafficking in the region.