"Venezuela’s Minister of Defence, Vladimir Padrino Lopez, highlighted that the Bolivarian National Armed Forces are undergoing a process of strengthening and raising their level of preparedness to defend the homeland. During the 'Saturday of Militia' event in Caracas on December 20, Padrino announced a restructuring of the Combatant Corps to integrate them into the country's productive sectors. He explained that this measure responds to the order to ensure that companies defend national production. "We have to start by updating the map, because the order of our Commander in Chief is that every public or private company has its own unit to guarantee production," the defence minister stated. He also emphasised the preparation process of the Armed Forces, highlighting what he described as an 'awakening' within the institution. "That is why we are preparing ourselves. The Bolivarian National Armed Forces are preparing themselves, raising their level of readiness. What a wonderful thing we are doing. What an awakening, what a beautiful awakening in the Armed Forces," he said. Moreover, Padrino warned that the country will continue to face external pressure as long as it defends a project he defined as 'anti-oligarchic' and 'anti-imperialist'. "We are going to have the boot of imperialism placed upon us, because they will always want to subjugate us through their arrogance and imperial arrogance," he said, referring to the situation with the United States. Tensions between Caracas and Washington escalated further after US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the military campaign in the Caribbean would continue until Venezuela "returns to the United States all the oil, land and other assets that they previously stole." In response, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro spoke by phone with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to raise concerns about the growing threats to the Venezuelan people."