Maduro Deploys “Street-by-Street” Missile Defense as Trump Weighs Talks vs. Troops

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has unveiled a radical and highly unconventional national defense strategy, mobilizing what he claims are over 8 million militia members to defend the country “street by street” against a potential U.S. invasion. The announcement comes as the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group patrols the Caribbean, placing massive American firepower just miles from the Venezuelan coastline.
In a televised address that featured maps and military diagrams, Maduro outlined a decentralized defense plan relying not on traditional military doctrine, but on the “empowered minds of the people.” He announced the activation of over 20,000 “popular defense bases” and “communal militia units,” effectively attempting to turn local neighborhoods into fortified guerrilla strongholds. “We have the capacity to preserve peace under all circumstances,” Maduro declared, asserting that this civilian-led force is prepared for “any prolonged war” against foreign aggressors.
The mobilization is a direct response to “Operation Southern Spear,” a historic U.S. military buildup in the region that includes thousands of Marines, advanced warships, and special operations forces. While officially designated as a counter-narcotics mission to dismantle the “Cartel de los Soles”—which the U.S. accuses Maduro of leading—the presence of the Ford is widely viewed as an existential threat to the Chavista regime.
Meanwhile, the geopolitical signals from Washington remain volatile and contradictory. President Donald Trump, while labeling Maduro a “dictator” and “narco-terrorist,” stunned reporters by stating he is open to “face-to-face” negotiations. “I probably would talk to him, yeah,” Trump said. “I talk to everybody.”
However, this diplomatic opening is paired with significant covert escalation. Intelligence reports indicate that President Trump has authorized the CIA to conduct clandestine operations inside Venezuela, a move aimed at fracturing the regime’s internal cohesion. The President also pointedly refused to rule out a ground invasion, telling the press, “I don’t rule out anything. We just have to take care of Venezuela.”
As Maduro hands out rifles to neighborhood committees and Washington balances diplomatic offers with carrier strike groups, the standoff has entered a surreal and dangerous new phase of hybrid warfare.