STORY: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro vowed on Friday (December 12) that his country would not succumb to U.S. pressure, as President Donald Trump announced plans to begin land strikes against drug traffickers in the region.

"Their formula of lies, pressure, blackmail, and threats does not work with us. It does not work and it never will," Maduro said during a televised event on the government TV.

His comments came as Trump announced Friday at the White House that U.S. forces would begin carrying out land strikes against drug traffickers.

The escalating rhetoric follows Wednesday's U.S. seizure of the Skipper tanker off Venezuela's coast, marking the first American capture of Venezuelan oil cargo since sanctions were imposed in 2019.

The U.S. military presence in the Caribbean has grown significantly as Trump has repeatedly discussed potential military intervention in Venezuela, accusing the country of shipping narcotics to the United States. Venezuela has denied the accusations.

So far this year, there have been over 20 U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific against suspected drug vessels, resulting in nearly 90 deaths.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: MIRANDA, VENEZUELA (DECEMBER 12, 2025) (VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TV - Access all)

1. EVENT ATTENDEES APPLAUDING

2. VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT, NICOLAS MADURO, AND OFFICIALS ON STAGE DURING EVENT

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELA'S PRESIDENT, NICOLAS MADURO, SAYING: (SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY OVERLAYS VARIOUS OF MADURO SPEAKING):

"Our historic rebelliousness, the deep fusion of that rebelliousness that some in the world still do not understand because we are who we are and because their formula of lies, pressure, blackmail, and threats does not work with us. It does not work and it never will. We know where we stand, and we stand on solid ground, and we are building the beautiful model of society that our people deserve. It is not one man, it is an entire country; it is a republic; it has a great history. Imbeciles, stupid are those who believe it is one man. It is not one man, it is millions of people, the people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Respect, respect, respect. Stupid. The fools in the north who spend their time giving their opinions and writing in the stupid media in the north. They can't understand us. Forgive me if I get exasperated but I carry a great deal of rebellion and indignation in my heart all day long, only appeased by the immense love I have for Venezuela and the immense achievements we are making every day."

4. VARIOUS OF MADURO DURING EVENT