When Edith Perales was younger, he enlisted in the National Bolivarian Militia, a civilian force created by the late President Hugo Chávez in 2009 to help defend Venezuela.
Sixteen years on, Perales, who is now 68, is joining thousands of other militia members getting ready for a potential U.S. attack. The rag-tag force, mainly made up of senior citizens, has been called up following the deployment of U.S. navy ships in the South Caribbean on what U.S. officials said were counter-narcotics operations.
The U.S. force has destroyed at least three boats it said were carrying drugs from Venezuela to the U.S., killing at least 17 people on board. Venezuela's defense minister, Vladimir Padrino, stated this was a non-declared war by the U.S. against the country, prompting President Nicolás Maduro to swiftly activate the militia.
In response to feelings of insecurity, citizens in Caracas are being mobilized to assume roles in the militia, engaging in firearm training drilled by soldiers. Notably, many participants express a readiness to protect their homeland despite a lack of military experience.
While the U.S. naval presence in the Caribbean has been lauded by some as a necessary intervention against drug trafficking, it has also prompted fears of a larger conflict, exacerbating an already tense relationship between the two nations. The Maduro administration utilizes the militia not just for defense but also to convey a stance of resilience against perceived foreign aggression.
As conflicts escalate, Perales firmly upholds a readiness to defend his neighborhood against foreign threats, a sentiment echoed by many active members of the militia.
