Caracas, Oct 19 (NationPress) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has declared the commencement of military exercises known as the 'Great Corridor of the Venezuelan Plain' as part of the 'Independence 200' operation, aimed at reinforcing the nation's defense in light of perceived US military threats.

The exercises, which began early Saturday and span the central states of Barinas, Portuguesa, Cojedes, and Guarico, represent a nationwide mobilization intended to boost the country's readiness against potential external assaults, according to reports from Xinhua news agency.

"All the integral defense zones throughout the nation are now active and operational," Maduro communicated via social media on Saturday (local time). "We have accomplished all zones with 27 fundamental defense tasks."

The President emphasized the collaboration between civilian, police, and military entities, describing it as "a perfect and organized fusion" aimed at protecting national sovereignty and internal stability.

"We aspire to continue succeeding on the path of peace," Maduro remarked, alluding to what he characterized as the US military buildup in the Caribbean near Venezuelan waters.

He noted that the drills are designed to attain "the optimal level of readiness" among national defense forces through extensive civic involvement and territorial coordination.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump revealed that Washington had destroyed a 'drug-smuggling submarine' in the Caribbean, sending two surviving suspects back to their home countries, Ecuador and Colombia, following a military strike that resulted in the deaths of two others aboard.

"It was my great honor to destroy a substantial drug-carrying submarine that was heading towards the United States on a well-documented narcotrafficking route," Trump stated on his Truth Social platform on Saturday (local time), asserting that the vessel was filled with fentanyl and other narcotics.

The President claimed that had the submarine reached American shores, "at least 25,000 Americans would have died."

"There were four known narcoterrorists on board the vessel. Two of the terrorists were killed... The two surviving terrorists are being returned to their countries of origin, Ecuador and Colombia, for detention and prosecution," he further elaborated.

This strike represents the latest measure in what he termed an unprecedented US military campaign to diminish the flow of narcotics from Latin America into the United States.

Since September, at least six vessels—primarily speedboats—have been targeted by US forces in the Caribbean, some reportedly originating from Venezuela.

Washington asserts that its campaign is inflicting significant damage on international drug networks. However, it has yet to provide definitive evidence proving that the 27 individuals killed in these operations were indeed engaged in drug trafficking.