Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro claims the U.S. is waging a war against him as the world's largest warship nears the country

Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro says the U.S. is waging a war against his country as the world's largest warship nears.

Venezuela has 5,000 Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles in “key air defense positions,” its President Nicolás Maduro claimed on Wednesday, amid growing tension over the United States’ military deployment in the Caribbean.

Venezuelan government officials floated a plan in which President Nicolás Maduro would eventually leave office, a bid aimed at easing mounting U.S. pressure on the government in Caracas.

The hit-style shooting of two Venezuelan activists in Colombia’s capital is fueling fears among Venezuela’s diaspora that a crackdown on dissent by the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Madur

Even with U.S. warships offshore, the strongman has prevailed in efforts to unseat him—purging, spying and paying off officers so the armed forces remain loyal.

Tensions are escalating between Washington and Caracas as the Trump administration has increasingly signaled it could use military means to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power.

The U.S. military buildup near Venezuela has drawn fierce criticism from Caracas and raised fears of a Caribbean confrontation.