Venezuela’s Maduro Orders Military Drills Ahead of Alleged Plans of Intervention

“Next Saturday I have convened national military exercises of the armed forces, of the people and of the militia, to prepare us against any scenario, because this land is sacred and we must respect it,” said Maduro at a street rally attended by thousands of supporters in downtown Caracas over the weekend.

The president’s announcement comes one day after his decision to impose a state of emergency and economic emergency that would give him sufficient power to crack down on an alleged coup against him, as well as address the purported plans of former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to intervene with “foreign armed forces.”

Maduro said it was important to increase public awareness as “the oligarchy’s plan is to disturb the peace so they can justify foreign intervention in Venezuela.”

“I’m not an extremist for saying this, but they’re extremists for wanting to carry this out,” he added.

Maduro reiterated his complaint against Uribe, which he had announced on Friday, about the Colombian politician’s alleged plans to promote a “conspiracy against Venezuela.”

Maduro said that Uribe participated in a meeting in Washington where he had requested an intervention.

He called on Venezuelan authorities to initiate legal action against Uribe, calling him a “paramilitary killer.”