Maduro's comment came after US President Donald Trump said he had authorized covert action against the South American nation, and amid an escalating US military campaign against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Pacific.
"Yes peace, yes peace forever, peace forever. No crazy war, please!" Maduro said in a meeting with unions aligned with the leftist leader, a former bus driver and union leader.
The United States has deployed stealth warplanes and Navy ships as part of what it calls anti-narcotics efforts, but has yet to release evidence that its targets -- eight boats and a semi-submersible -- were smuggling drugs.
The US strikes, which began on September 2, have killed at least 37 people, according to an AFP tally based on US figures.
Regional tensions have flared as a result of the campaign, with Maduro accusing Washington of seeking regime change.
Last week, Trump said he had authorized covert CIA action against Venezuela and was considering strikes against alleged drug cartels on land.
The Republican billionaire president accuses Maduro of heading a drug cartel, a charge the Venezuelan leader denies.
"We know the CIA is present" in Venezuela, the country's defense minister Vladimir Padrino said Thursday.
"They may deploy -- I don't know how many -- CIA-affiliated units in covert operations...and any attempt will fail."
Padrino was overseeing military exercises along Venezuela's coast in response to the US military deployment in the Caribbean.
Experts have questioned the legality of using lethal force in foreign or international waters against suspects who have not been intercepted or questioned.
US troops train in Panama jungle, as tensions simmer with Venezuela
Panama (AFP) Oct 22, 2025 -
The US military carried out small-scale survival and jungle combat drills on Panama's Caribbean coast Wednesday, as Washington amassed a vast naval presence off Venezuela.
Under a scorching sun, about a dozen US Marines armed with assault rifles simulated storming a bunker at the former US Fort Sherman base near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal.
The facilities now serve as a training ground for US Marines and Panamanian police under a cooperation program launched in August.
Panama said about 50 US Marines would train from October 9 to 29 in its jungle to improve their skills "in one of the most demanding environments."
"This training is purely aimed at our defense and protection" to fight "organized crime and drug trafficking," Panamanian Major Didier Santamaria told AFP.
A similar course in August "focused only on survival; this one adds some tactics and jungle tracking," said US Colonel Ada Cotto.
The mission is to "create knowledge and mutual relationships" that can be shared "for both countries," she said.
The drills come amid tension between the United States and Venezuela, whose president Nicolas Maduro accuses Washington of plotting to overthrow him.
Washington has sent several warships and thousands of troops to Caribbean region.
But Cotto denied any link between the US exercises and plans to intervene in Venezuela.
"We are not preparing for anything," she said when asked if the training was related to the Venezuelan crisis.
"Everything is transparent and by invitation of the Panamanian government," she added.
The agreement was signed amid pressure from US President Donald Trump, who threatened to take control of the Panama Canal, refusing to rule out the use of force.
Maduro says Venezuela has 5,000 Russian anti-aircraft missiles to counter US
Caracas (AFP) Oct 23, 2025 -
President Nicolas Maduro said Wednesday that Venezuela has 5,000 Russian man-portable surface-to-air missiles to counter US forces deployed in the Caribbean.
Washington has deployed stealth warplanes and Navy ships in the Caribbean as part of what it calls counter-narcotics efforts, and destroyed at least eight vessels it said were smuggling drugs from Venezuela toward the United States.
Venezuela has denounced the deployment as a dress rehearsal for an operation to oust Maduro, whom Washington accuses of running a drug cartel.
In a televised ceremony with senior military leaders, Maduro said Venezuela has Russian-made short-range missiles known as Igla-S -- "no fewer than 5,000 in key air defense positions to ensure peace."
The Igla-S, designed to take down low flying planes, has been used in military exercises ordered by Maduro in response to the US military activity, which has enraged leaders in much of Latin America.
The Pentagon has told Congress the United States is in "armed conflict" with Latin American drug cartels, designating them as terrorist groups and describing suspected smugglers as "unlawful combatants."
Experts say the summary killings are illegal even if they target confirmed traffickers.
Regional tensions have flared, with Colombia recalling its ambassador to Washington amid a nasty spat between its leftist president Gustavo Petro and President Donald Trump.
Trump said Wednesday that the US deployment has cut trafficking by sea drastically and is prepared to attack drug traffickers operating on land.
US B-1B bomber flew off coast of Venezuela: flight tracking data
Washington (AFP) Oct 23, 2025 - At least one US B-1B bomber flew over the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela Thursday, flight tracking data showed, the second such show of force by US military aircraft in a week.
The bomber flight -- which President Donald Trump later falsely claimed did not occur -- comes as Washington carries out a military campaign against alleged drug traffickers in the region, deploying forces that have sparked fears in Caracas that regime change is the ultimate goal.
Data from tracking website Flightradar24 showed a B-1B flying toward the Venezuelan coast on Thursday afternoon before making a U-turn and heading north, after which it disappeared from view.
Asked during a White House event about reporting that the United States had sent B-1Bs near Venezuela, Trump responded that "it's false," while adding the United States is "not happy with Venezuela for a lot of reasons."
The latest flight came about a week after US-based B-52 bombers circled off Venezuela's coast for several hours.
The US military described that mission as a demonstration of Washington's commitment "to proactively deter adversary threats, enhance crew training, and ensure the global force readiness necessary to respond to any contingency or challenge."
The United States has deployed stealth warplanes and Navy ships as part of what it calls counter-narcotics efforts, but has yet to release evidence that its targets -- eight boats and a semi-submersible -- were smuggling drugs.
The US strikes, which began on September 2, have killed at least 37 people, according to an AFP tally based on US figures.
Regional tensions have flared as a result of the campaign, with Venezuela accusing the United States of plotting to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro, who said Wednesday that his country has 5,000 Russian man-portable surface-to-air missiles to counter US forces.
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