Maduro defies Trump’s strike threats in a high-stakes showdown with America, says ‘We will not bow’

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday vowed that his government would not bow to U.S. pressure after President Donald Trump announced plans to launch land strikes against drug traffickers in the region. Speaking on state television, Maduro rejected what he called Washington’s tactics of “lies, pressure and threats.” Tensions escalated following the U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker off the country’s coast, the first such capture since sanctions were imposed in 2019. The U.S. has increased its military presence in the Caribbean, while Venezuela denies accusations of narcotics trafficking.