Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro warned Monday he would "declare a republic in arms" if U.S. forces in the Caribbean attacked his country.

"In the face of this maximum military pressure, we have declared maximum preparedness for the defense of Venezuela," Maduro said of the deployment , which he characterized as "an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat."

Newsweek reached out to the U.S. State Department and Venezuela's Foreign Ministry for comment on Monday.

Why It Matters

Maduro's remarks came as Washington prepared to expand its maritime presence in the region, deploying warships and thousands of personnel to target drug cartels.

While U.S. officials have not signaled plans for a land invasion, Maduro's government has mobilized troop

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