CARACAS (AP) — Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has accused the U.S. government of "fabricating" a war against his administration while the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, approaches the South American nation. In a national broadcast on Friday night, Maduro claimed that the Trump administration is orchestrating "a new eternal war" as the formidable warship, capable of hosting up to 90 airplanes and attack helicopters, draws near.
On Saturday, Maduro announced that he has initiated legal proceedings to revoke the citizenship and cancel the passport of opposition leader Leopoldo López, whom he accuses of inciting an invasion of Venezuela. In his remarks, Maduro stressed, "They promised they would never again get involved in a war, and they are fabricating a war that we will avoid," referring to Trump’s accusations without substantial evidence that labels him as the leader of the organized crime group Tren de Aragua.
Maduro dismissively described the narrative shaped by U.S. officials as "an extravagant narrative, a vulgar, criminal, and totally fake one," insisting that Venezuela does not produce cocaine. This assertion comes amidst reports that American forces have destroyed several boats off the Venezuelan coast for alleged involvement in drug trafficking, with these encounters resulting in at least 43 fatalities.
Tren de Aragua, which originated within a Venezuelan prison system, is primarily recognized for activities such as contract killings and extortion rather than significant global drug trafficking involvement. The political landscape in Venezuela has been tumultuous, with Maduro facing widespread accusations of election fraud from the last year's election and calls from several nations, including the U.S., for his ousting.
Earlier statements from Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez revealed that Maduro has formally appealed to the country's Supreme Court to revoke López's nationality due to his "grotesque, criminal, and illegal call for a military invasion of Venezuela." López, a prominent opposition figure who has been in exile in Spain since 2020, has notably supported the deployment of U.S. naval forces in the Caribbean aimed at targeting drug trafficking vessels.
Rodríguez indicated that López's passport would be revoked "immediately," also accusing him of promoting economic sanctions and orchestrating a call for mass violence against Venezuelans in coalition with foreign governments. Responding to these allegations on his social media account, López rejected the action, asserting that according to the Constitution, no Venezuelan born in the country can have their nationality revoked. He reiterated his support for potential U.S. military actions within Venezuela.
López emphasized, "Maduro wants to take away my nationality for saying what all Venezuelans think and want: freedom.” He went on to accuse Maduro of having manipulated the 2024 election and affirmed his commitment to pursue all avenues to overthrow the regime. Having previously endured three years in military prison following anti-government protests in 2014, López was sentenced to over 13 years on charges relating to conspiracy and instigation of a crime. After being placed under house arrest, he was freed amidst a political crisis in 2020 and subsequently left the country.
