After the U.S. Senate rejected a decision to block American military actions against Venezuela, and the Pentagon confirmed that the largest American aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, is now on its way to Latin America, Venezuela declared a military mobilization.
Venezuela's Defense Minister, General Vladimir Padrino Lopez, announced the decision yesterday at a press conference, stating that it is a defensive response to threats from the United States.
Padrino Lopez's remarks came against the backdrop of expanded American military activity in the Caribbean Sea, such as the deployment of the aircraft carrier and additional naval and air assets. Trump also recently authorized the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to operate in Venezuela.