Venezuela stages mass evacuation drills as US tensions flare: Video
Venezuela carried out large-scale emergency response drills in Caracas on Saturday, September 27, as the government seeks to bolster preparedness amid mounting tensions with the United States.
The exercise, led by the country’s Civil Protection agency at the Libertador Simón Bolívar train station, simulated the manual evacuation of passengers from train carriages. Authorities said the drills were designed to enhance resilience against both natural disasters, such as earthquakes, and potential armed conflict.
Caracas Mayor Carmen Meléndez stressed to Viory the importance of readiness for “any national or international emergency”, adding: “They have already shown that they are capable of anything … we are prepared”.
The initiative brought together the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), firefighters, police and local communities, underscoring the government’s emphasis on unity and mobilisation. It also coincides with an ongoing recruitment drive for the Bolivarian National Militia, following a recent video released by the Trump administration showcasing US military exercises in Puerto Rico.
The drills come against a backdrop of heightened friction between Washington and Caracas, after the US deployed marines and warships to the Caribbean in what it described as anti-drug trafficking operations – a move Venezuela has denounced as a direct threat to regional peace.
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