Venezuela is mobilizing troops and a massive civilian militia along its Caribbean coast as President Nicolás Maduro vows to resist what he calls U.S. aggression amid the largest American military buildup in the region since the 1980s.

State media portrays the United States as a predatory power seeking to seize Venezuela’s oil, while propaganda footage shows citizens training and armed forces conducting drills.

Despite the displays of strength, experts say Venezuela’s military remains weak compared to U.S. forces.

The Pentagon has deployed warships, bombers, drones, and elite special operations units near Venezuelan territory, conducting strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats, the Wall Street Journal has reported.

In response, Maduro has intensified recruitment efforts, including from indigenous communities, and aligned with Colombian armed groups to bolster internal control and deter unrest.