Venezuela possesses the largest oil reserves in the world, which have now increased even further due to new extraction technologies, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro told RT in an interview.
“We have the fourth-largest natural gas reserves, spread throughout the entire Caribbean basin, which is why they sent their ships there… We possibly have the largest gold reserves in the world. And that's not all! 30 million hectares of fertile land, water,” Maduro said, explaining the increased US military activity in the region.
Earlier, the Venezuelan president ordered the deployment of 25,000 additional troops along the country's coast amid the growing US presence in the region. The main goal of the mobilization is to protect national sovereignty, ensure the country's security, and fight for peace, Maduro stressed.
US media reported, citing sources, that President Donald Trump was considering various options for carrying out military strikes against drug cartels in Venezuela, including on Venezuelan soil, with a broader goal of weakening Maduro.