Venezuela's Military: What's the Real Story?

Venezuela's military is in a tough spot. It's not as strong as it used to be. Many soldiers are not well trained. They don't earn much money. This makes it hard for them to buy food and other basics. Some soldiers have even left the military because of this. The government says there are millions of people ready to fight. But experts think only a few thousand would actually help defend the country. The military has old equipment. Much of it is from Russia. It's not as good as what the U. S. has. If the U. S. attacks, Venezuela plans to fight back in a special way. They call it "prolonged resistance. " Small groups would hide and attack the enemy. They would also try to cause chaos in the capital city. This would make it hard for anyone to control the country. There are other groups in Venezuela that have weapons. Some are from Colombia. They grow coca, which is used to make cocaine. There are also groups that support the government. They sometimes fight against protesters. The government says the U. S. wants to take over Venezuela's oil. But the U. S. says the government is involved in drug trafficking. It's hard to know what will happen. The military is not strong. But they have a plan to fight back. There are also other groups with weapons. This makes the situation even more complicated.