Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López marked the 105th anniversary of the Bolivarian Military Aviation with a forceful warning against foreign aggression. Speaking in Maracay, he declared that Venezuela’s armed forces and its people are “ready for everything” in defence of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The event featured military flyovers and drills showcasing the country’s air power. Padrino also criticised what he called “submissive” Latin American governments and denounced growing militarisation in the Caribbean, following the U.S. deployment under Operation Lanza del Sur. The minister stressed that the people of Latin America “want peace, not war.”