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Maduro to mobilize 4.5 mln militiamen to counter US’ plans to destabilize Venezuela

The Venezuelan president stressed that peace and sovereignty will be protected

CARACAS, August 19. /TASS/. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced plans to deploy over 4.5 million militiamen across the country following reports of the US’ plans to destabilize the situation in the republic.

"This week, I will activate a special plan involving the deployment of more than 4.5 million trained and armed militiamen across the entire country," the head of state said at a working meeting with governors aired by the Venezolana de Television state-run channel.

"Peace, quiet and sovereignty will be protected. <...> Not a single empire will touch Venezuela’s sacred land, no empire in the world can touch the sacred land of South America," the Venezuelan leader added.

On Monday, Tarek William Saab, Venezuela’s attorney general, accused the US of unleashing a criminal smear campaign against Maduro. On August 7, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced raising the reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million. Later, she reported the confiscation of assets worth $700 million purportedly belonging to the Venezuelan president who is groundlessly accused in the US of being part of the drug-trafficking Cartel de los Soles.

Citing sources in the Pentagon, Reuters reported that three US guided-missile destroyers had been deployed to the southern Caribbean region "as part of an effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels."

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United States Venezuela

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