How strong is Venezuela’s military and how does it compare to the US in planes, ships, missiles and soldiers?

The United States has deployed warships and nuclear submarines in the Caribbean as part of its fight against drug trafficking. In response, Venezuela has mobilized troops along its borders, and President Nicolás Maduro declared on Monday that if the nation “is attacked,” Venezuela will enter into an “armed struggle” against the US.

“Venezuela is facing the greatest threat our continent has seen in 100 years. There are eight warships with 1,200 missiles and a nuclear submarine targeting Venezuela. It is an extravagant, immoral, and bloody threat. They want to advance with maximum military pressure, and we have declared maximum readiness in Venezuela,” Maduro said.

Could Venezuela stand up to the US in the event of an armed conflict? The military strength of the United States is evident. According to the website Global Firepower, Washington is the world’s leading military power, while Venezuela ranks 50th out of 140 countries.

In a comparative summary from that source, the United States outmatches Venezuela in virtually every category: manpower, air, land, and naval power; finances, logistics… However, Venezuela surpasses the US in natural resources and geography.

Focusing on military equipment, the United States has 13,043 combat aircraft, while Venezuela has just 229. Washington also possesses 391,963 armored vehicles and 440 warships, far more than Venezuela’s 8,802 and 34, respectively.

As for personnel, the US has 1,328,000 active troops, compared to Venezuela’s 109,000. The same imbalance applies to reserves: Washington has nearly 800,000 reserve personnel, versus Venezuela’s 8,000.

Despite the vast military gap, Venezuela holds oil reserves of 303.8 billion barrels—much higher than Washington’s 38.2 billion. However, Caracas lacks the capacity to produce and refine all the crude it has in its territory.

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