STORY: Hundreds of Venezuelans enrolled in the National Bolivarian Militia on Saturday (August 23), responding to President Nicolas Maduro’s call to defend national sovereignty amid escalating tensions with the United States. In Caracas, mostly public workers queued in Plaza Bolivar to sign up, with some recruits stating they joined to prevent foreign intervention.

Earlier in the day, a billboard offering a U.S. reward for the arrest of Maduro and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello appeared on a border road in Colombia’s North Santander department, but was swiftly removed by an unidentified individual.

Maduro, as commander-in-chief, had urged citizens to join the militia as part of a national sovereignty and peace plan. The enrolment drive follows increased international pressure and economic sanctions, with the Venezuelan government accusing the U.S. of attempting to undermine its leadership.

On Wednesday (August 20), two anonymous sources disclosed that the U.S. had deployed an amphibious squadron—including the USS San Antonio, USS Iwo Jima, and USS Fort Lauderdale—with 4,500 service members, potentially reaching waters near Venezuela by Sunday (August 24).

The U.S. mission targets what it describes as “narco-terrorist organizations,” part of President Donald Trump’s broader campaign against drug cartels and to secure the southern border.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AUGUST 23, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. PEOPLE IN PLAZA BOLIVAR, CARACAS’ MAIN SQUARE, DURING THE ENROLMENT PROCESS FOR THE NATIONAL BOLIVARIAN MILITIA

2. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SIGNING DURING THE ENROLMENT PROCESS FOR THE NATIONAL BOLIVARIAN MILITIA

3. SHEET READING (Spanish) "Militia member registration"

4. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SIGNING DURING THE ENROLMENT PROCESS FOR THE NATIONAL BOLIVARIAN MILITIA

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PUBLIC WORKER, ROBERTO ALAIZA, SAYING:

"We are responding to the call made by the constitutional President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, as we enrol in the Bolivarian militia to prevent any empire from setting foot on this homeland of liberators again."

6. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING DURING THE ENROLMENT PROCESS FOR THE NATIONAL BOLIVARIAN MILITIA

7. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SIGNING DURING THE ENROLMENT PROCESS FOR THE NATIONAL BOLIVARIAN MILITIA

8. VARIOUS OF OFFICERS OF THE VENEZUELAN POLICE SIGNING UP FOR THE NATIONAL BOLIVARIAN MILITIA

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PUBLIC WORKER, JELIXE SILVA, SAYING:

"We reject any threat coming from the empire. We do not agree with any of those threats that are coercing us and trying to subdue the nation. We are a sovereign, firm, and patriotic people, and we will always be free and independent."

10. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING, WAITING TO SIGN UP IN THE MILITIA

11. VARIOUS OF DAVID CARDONA, RETIREE AND FORMER MILITARY RESERVIST, SIGNING UP IN THE MILITIA

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FORMER MILITARY RESERVIST, DAVID CARDONA, SAYING:

"Well, we are signing up. At least here those of us who are reservists and those who are not are stepping forward. If there is a problem in the country, we must do what we did when we were 18: serve the homeland (Showing his former ID)."

13. POLICE OFFICER AND A PUBLIC WORKER ENROLLING FOR THE NATIONAL BOLIVARIAN MILITIA

14. PUBLIC WORKERS SIGNING DURING THE ENROLMENT PROCESS FOR THE NATIONAL BOLIVARIAN MILITIA

15. VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL BOLIVARIAN MILITIA DURING THE ENROLMENT PROCESS

16. PEOPLE QUEUING IN PLAZA BOLIVAR, WAITING TO ENROL IN THE MILITIA

17. VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS ENROLLING IN THE MILITIA

18. PEOPLE ENROLLING IN THE BOLIVARIAN MILITIA

VILLA DEL ROSARIO, NORTH SANTANDER, COLOMBIA (AUGUST 23, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

19. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF A BILLBOARD ON A ROAD AT THE BORDER BETWEEN COLOMBIA AND VENEZUELA, SHOWING INFORMATION ABOUT A U.S. REWARD LEADING TO THE ARREST OF VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO AND VENEZUELAN INTERIOR MINISTER DIOSDADO CABELLO

20. VARIOUS OF A BILLBOARD WITH U.S. REWARD FOR THE CAPTURE OF MADURO AND CABELLO

21. VARIOUS OF COLOMBIAN POLICE OFFICERS AT THE SITE NEAR THE BILLBOARD

22. VARIOUS OF THE BILLBOARD

23. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF PERSON REMOVING THE BILLBOARD WITH U.S. REWARD FOR THE CAPTURE OF MADURO AND CABELLO

24. VARIOUS OF THE REMOVED BILLBOARD ON THE ROAD