Venezuela initiates military exercises on a Caribbean island in response to US deployment

The regime of Nicolas Maduro began conducting military exercises on Orchila Island in the southern Caribbean on Wednesday, in response to the deployment of ships ordered by the United States.

The United States deployed eight ships in the Caribbean Sea to combat drug trafficking and since the beginning of September has eliminated three vessels allegedly trafficking drugs, with a death toll of 14, according to President Donald Trump.

The Venezuelan exercises are taking place in a 43-kilometer territory that lies 97 nautical miles from La Guaira state, and near where the United States intercepted a fishing vessel for eight hours over the weekend.

"There are going to be deployments of area defense with artillery drones, surveillance drones, underwater drones. We are going to implement electronic warfare actions," Defense Minister Padrino Lopez said.

Public television showed images of amphibious boats, Russian-made artillery equipment and warships deployed in La Orchila, where a Venezuelan Navy base operates.

The exercises, which will last for three days, involve 12 military vessels, 22 aircraft and 20 naval gunboats of the "Special Naval Militia," said Venezuelan Navy Vice Admiral Irwin Raúl Pucci.