Maduro rejected drug-trafficking accusations, alleged that opposition leaders operated a human-smuggling network, and said foreign pressure on Venezuela is driven by oil interests.

Venezuela says its armed forces have downed a hostile aircraft during nationwide military exercises involving nearly 200,000 troops, in what officials describe as a response to U.S. military activity in the Caribbean.

President Nicolás Maduro announced a new military deployment in eastern Venezuela aimed at strengthening national defense and consolidating territorial sovereignty.