Venezuela conducts military exercises, citing US threat
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Venezuelan soldiers are starting 10 days of military exercises that the president of the socialist-governed South American country says are needed to protect against a looming threat from the US.
Nearly 100,000 members of the Venezuelan armed forces began conducting exercises at points all over country Saturday. The U.S. imposed sanctions earlier this week on several Venezuelan officials accused of human rights violations, and President Nicolas Maduro has said his country will take steps to protect itself from the hostile US government. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez inaugurated the exercises at Fort Tiuna in Caracas, the largest military installation in Venezuela. He said the US sanctions constitute an imminent danger and the armed forces must ready themselves to ensure the country's independence.
