Venezuela adds 5,600 new soldiers to armed forces amid tensions with US

Venezuela announced Sunday that 5,600 new soldiers have been sworn into the National Bolivarian Armed Forces amid rising tensions with the US.

Recruits were inducted due to "increasing imperialist threats," local media reported, citing a government statement, pointing to US threats and the deployment of a naval fleet in the Caribbean.

The US has expanded military operations across Latin America recently, deploying Marines, warships, fighter jets, bombers, submarines and drones.

The statement emphasized that the new soldiers took an oath of loyalty to President Nicolas Maduro and described the armed forces as the backbone of Venezuela's "stability, peace, security and future."

Major General Javier Jose Marcano Tabata told state television VTV that military applications have increased.

"Right now, while imperialism threatens our country illegally, arbitrarily, full of lies and insolently, our people, especially young people, are coming by the thousands to join the National Bolivarian Armed Forces," Marcano said.

Official data shows that Venezuela has approximately 200,000 soldiers, 200,000 police officers and millions of reserve militia members.

The US has carried out at least 22 strikes in the region on boats suspected of transporting narcotics since September, killing at least 87 people.

US President Donald Trump warned that he would soon begin targeting Venezuelan drug trafficking networks "by land."