Venezuela prepares guerrilla defence as U.S. pressure mounts
Venezuela is moving to deploy older Russian-made weapons and preparing for a guerrilla-style defence if the United States launches an air or ground attack. This is based on planning documents and information from sources familiar with the country’s military strategy, reported by Reuters.
The move highlights the difficulties facing Venezuela’s armed forces, which have been weakened by low pay, limited training and equipment shortages. Some commanders have even had to negotiate with private food suppliers to feed soldiers, due to shortfalls in government provisions.
The strategy, described by Venezuelan officials as “prolonged resistance,” involves small military units stationed at more than 280 locations to carry out sabotage and other guerrilla tactics if invaded. This approach reflects the government’s acknowledgement that it cannot match the U.S. military directly.
President Nicolás Maduro has repeatedly accused U.S. President Donald Trump of trying to remove him from office. While Trump previously hinted at possible ground operations in Venezuela during regional military activities, he has since denied planning strikes inside the country.
The Venezuelan government has spoken publicly about resisting an invasion, but has not offered detailed explanations of how the strategy would work. However, the documents reviewed show that the administration is preparing for a long, irregular conflict if tensions escalate.
