Part 10/15:
Military Deployment and Strategies
Venezuela's defense minister declared that approximately 25,000 troops are being deployed to key coastal regions—more than doubling the existing 10,000 stationed along the Colombian border. The military aims to expand its presence across islands and eastern states, targeting known drug trafficking routes. The coastlines, increasingly used by traffickers moving shipments from Colombia through Venezuelan waters and out into the Caribbean, have become a critical artery for international drug smuggling. Fishing villages have transformed into staging grounds, and tourist hubs now serve as launch points for boats and aircraft laden with narcotics.