STORY: Venezuela began a nationwide military deployment on Thursday (October 23) as part of its “Coast Independence 200” exercises, aimed at defending the country’s sovereignty and internal stability amid rising regional tensions.

The drills, which span across the coastal states of La Guaira, Miranda, Anzoategui, Falcon, Nueva Esparta, Carabobo, Sucre, and Zulia, were launched under the supervision of Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, who also serves as Vice President for Defense and Sovereignty.

During the deployment, Padrino warned against alleged covert operations by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), saying any attempt to destabilize Venezuela would fail.

He added that the military exercises are also a response to what he described as a “gross military threat” in the Caribbean region.

The Venezuelan government has frequently accused foreign actors, particularly the United States, of attempting to undermine its political stability through covert means.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: ARMY CONDUCTING MILITARY EXERCISES/ SOUNDBITES FROM MINISTER OF DEFENCE, VLADIMIR PADRINO

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION, VENEZUELA (RELEASED OCTOBER 23, 2025) (VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TV - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ARMED FORCES DURING MILITARY EXERCISES “DEFENSE OF COAST INDEPENDENCE 200”

CARACAS, VENEZUELA (OCTOBER 23, 2025) (VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TV - Access all)

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN DEFENSE MINISTER, VLADIMIR PADRINO LOPEZ, SAYING:

“So, well, from here we humbly say, all the actions we are taking are to reach an optimal point to prevent and counter the military threat deployed in the Caribbean, a gross military threat against the region and also to protect internally from any act of destabilization in the country, and we are going to do it with great strength. The Bolivarian National Guard, I have been giving instructions at citizen service points, we have to be a bit more rigorous, more rigorous.”

UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION, VENEZUELA (RELEASED OCTOBER 23, 2025) (VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TV - Access all)

3. VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ARMED FORCES DURING MILITARY EXERCISES “DEFENSE OF COAST INDEPENDENCE 200”

CARACAS, VENEZUELA (OCTOBER 23, 2025) (VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TV - Access all)

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN DEFENSE MINISTER, VLADIMIR PADRINO LOPEZ, SAYING [SOUNDBITE CONTINUES OVER DIFFERENT SHOT OF PADRINO DURING PRESS CONFERENCE]:

“No attempt to destabilize the Venezuelan nation will pass through here. They may send however many CIA-affiliated units in covert operations from any flank of the nation, and any attempt will fail as they have failed so far.”

UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION, VENEZUELA (RELEASED OCTOBER 23, 2025) (VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TV - Access all)

5. VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ARMED FORCES DURING MILITARY EXERCISES “DEFENSE OF COAST INDEPENDENCE 200”