Venezuelan President Maduro Leads Start of Military Drills
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (C), Jan. 22. 2025. Photo: Presidential Press
January 22, 2025 Hour: 10:37 am
The Bolivarian Shield 2025 involves the deployment of 150,000 troops who will participate in 290 specific exercises.
On Wednesday, Venezuela launched the Bolivarian Shield 2025 military exercises to prepare civilian, police, and military forces for the defense of the national territory.
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Held annually for the past 10 years, these military operations were inaugurated with the presence of President Nicolas Maduro and the country’s High Military Command, including Defense Minister Gen. Vladimir Padrino Lopez.
This year, Bolivarian Shield 2025 involves the deployment of 159 naval vehicles, 50 aerial vehicles, 250 heavy armored vehicles, and 150,000 personnel participating in 290 specific exercises.
“Our constitutional mission is to prepare ourselves. These exercises, demonstrating the civic-police fusion, deploy us across all levels and systems of territorial organization,” said Gen. Domingo Hernandez, the Operational Strategic Commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB).
Military Drills to Defend National Sovereignty and Peace
“This must be the most comprehensive and perfect exercise in terms of territorial defense. If you want peace, prepare to defend and build it,” President Maduro stated while explaining the role of the Integral Defense Directional Organs (ODDI), which are activated in all Venezuelan communities and states.
Regarding the objectives of Bolivarian Shield 2025, he emphasized first the promotion of full control over the national territory to counter potential destabilizing and violent interventions promoted by transnational far-right groups. “We have successfully dismantled these criminal groups at their root. With few exceptions in isolated areas, these groups have been defeated and eradicated,” Maduro highlighted.
A second objective is the defense of maritime, aerospace, and terrestrial spaces, with a focus on securing borders with Colombia. In this context, the Bolivarian leader recalled that the transnational far-right has attempted to introduce mercenaries and criminals from Colombia into Venezuelan territory. These efforts were evidenced recently by statements from former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, a far-right politician who called for an international military intervention against Venezuela.
“Sovereignty that is not exercised over the territory is sovereignty lost in practice. Neglecting this task would allow the entry of terrorist and violent groups into the country,” Maduro stated.
Another objective of Bolivarian Shield 2025 is the protection of infrastructure and public facilities, communication routes, towns, airports, hospitals, urban areas, and vital spaces. “The exercises aim to achieve a high level of integrated and immediate response capability to threats against sovereignty and national peace,” the Venezuelan president added.
The Nation is Prepared to Defend Itself
In recent weeks, Venezuela activated a humanitarian corridor in all its border zones with Colombia. This measure aims to support Colombians and Venezuelans who have been victims of violence in clashes between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the 33rd Front of the dissolved Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Specifically, Venezuelan authorities launched “Operation Mercury” to train personnel in humanitarian efforts. As part of this task in Zulia state, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello oversaw the mobilization of approximately 680 members of the Armed Forces, Police, Civil Protection, and Firefighters.
Currently, Catatumbo Airport is being used by the Simon Bolivar Humanitarian Task Force as part of the humanitarian corridor. During one training exercise, the Armed Forces demonstrated their ability to respond comprehensively to the possible entry into national territory of a supposed humanitarian aid aircraft, which in reality was carrying weapons intended for violent purposes.
In the municipality of La Guajira, another military training exercise showcased the Venezuelan forces’ capacity to control aquatic, aerial, and terrestrial spaces through a layered defense strategy at all critical points.
Referring to the clashes between irregular groups in Colombia, Maduro reaffirmed that Venezuela advocates for peace and reminded the public that his country has welcomed six million displaced Colombians in solidarity over the years.
“We have always remained vigilant in this sector of our territory. As a result of Colombia’s internal conflict, over 30,000 displaced people have arrived in our national territory. We have provided them with humanitarian assistance. We are also reinforcing security along the entire border. The alert remains constant,” stated Tachira Governor Freddy Bernal.
Bolivarian Shield 2025 has demonstrated that all civilian, police, and military groups responsible for national defense have the capability to respond effectively to protect the nation’s 13 productive sectors, including hydrocarbons, non-oil exports, national and international tourism, construction, the socialist and solidarity-based communal economy, and telecommunications and new technologies.
The military drills also showcased the high morale, cohesion, patriotism, and libertarian spirit of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces.
teleSUR/ JF Source: Presidential Press – teleSUR
