Venezuela's Military Faces Scrutiny Amid U.S. Tensions

As tensions rise between Washington and the Maduro regime, experts told Fox News Digital that Venezuela's military may look formidable on paper but is hollowed out by years of corruption, decay, and political control.

Isaias Medina, an international lawyer and former Venezuelan diplomat, described Venezuela as a criminalized state dominated by narcotrafficking networks. He warned that any hypothetical U.S. action would be 'evicting a terrorist cartel that settled next door and not invading a country.' Medina stressed the need for extreme caution due to Venezuela's dense civilian population victimized by the regime.

Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery said Venezuela's most relevant threat lies in its air-naval systems, which could be quickly eliminated by the U.S. He noted that the military's capabilities look better on paper than in reality, with equipment rusting from lack of maintenance.

Montgomery indicated that a ground operation would be a challenging scenario due to Venezuela's geography and scale. He stated, 'Today, I would not do this. I do not recommend it.' Venezuela maintains a large, uneven mix of military hardware, but analysts agree it cannot stop a U.S. campaign.

The military inventory includes T-72B tanks, BMP-3 infantry vehicles, and flyable Su-30MK2 jets. Deepening ties with Iran, Russia, and China continue to worry U.S. officials, while Jorge Jraissati, president of the Economic Inclusion Group, emphasized that only 20 percent of Venezuelans approve of the current regime.

He warned of a decade-long disregard for the will of the population, as Caracas aligns with anti-Western regimes that destabilize the region.