In practice, proven militancy and real willingness to fight are nowhere to be found.
Nicolás Maduro's attempt to recruit civilians to 'defend' Venezuela against a possible intervention received a minimal and forced response
In practice, proven militancy and real willingness to fight are nowhere to be found.
Nicolás Maduro's regime launched a campaign to form civilian militias following the deployment of U.S. warships in the Caribbean. The intended image—a united and mobilized nation—fell apart at the recruitment centers: short lines, mostly made up of public officials and contractors, and testimonies pointing to workplace pressure to enroll.
"This is just a formality so I don't lose my job," a municipal employee told the Financial Times. Another attendee was even more direct: "If a conflict breaks out, I'm not going to fight."
Beyond the belligerent rhetoric on television, the reality is humiliating for chavismo: when the call touches the core of the common citizen—the personal willingness to take up arms—support deflates.
Volunteers in official t-jerseys and with printed speeches coexisted with an atmosphere of obligation rather than commitment. The images and accounts resemble a theatrical mobilization more than a genuine national defense movement.
The government showcases grandiose figures—millions of "ready" militiamen—and carries out flashy maneuvers in La Orchila with fighter jets and missiles. But the practical training offered in the drills was limited: recruits moving with unloaded rifles and "mini-courses" on positioning.
The fact that participation comes mostly from the public sector reveals the core of the problem: the regime's social base is eroded. Experts point out that the preservation of power still depends on military loyalty; if that loyalty wavers, the façade of control appears fragile.
The opposition and critical figures interpret the clumsy call as an admission of insecurity by the leadership itself, not as a demonstration of strength.
What was supposed to be a show of strength turned into a source of ridicule and distrust. The act—calling for "millions" and receiving only testimonies from pressured employees—reflects the loss of legitimacy and turns the official proclamation into an anecdote that can hardly inspire external fear or internal stability.
For many Venezuelans, the phrase "I'm not going to fight" today sums up the distance between the regime's propaganda and the real will of society.