Trump cites militia training video as Venezuelan unrest and regime-change poll surface

President Trump on Monday posted a video he described as showing Caracas teaching civilians to run with large assault rifles during a militia training event, and he framed it as a security threat. It was not immediately clear whether the post reflected alarm or sarcasm. The clip appears disorganized, with loud shouting, and one frame centers on an overweight woman running with an AK-style rifle. The post comes as Washington has stepped up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro amid a broader U.S. effort to counter Venezuelan drug trafficking and political influence.

Separately, Caracas held a day of lessons for thousands of civilians on weapons handling and other so-called revolutionary resistance tactics on Saturday, in response to a U.S. naval deployment off Venezuela’s coast. The ships first deployed about a month ago, backed by a deployment of F-35 fighter jets in Puerto Rico. The mission is described as countering Venezuela’s drug operations, and the U.S. Navy says it has killed 14 narcoterrorists in at least two strikes on Venezuelan drug boats since Sept. 2. Maduro has repeatedly accused Trump of pursuing regime change in Venezuela, charges the U.S. has denied. The United States does not recognize Maduro’s leadership as legitimate and recently placed a $50 million bounty on his head related to drug charges in New York.

The dispatch of a large civilian-mobilization drill and the presence of foreign military forces come as new polling shows broad unease about Maduro among Venezuelans and a notable openness to U.S. pressure for regime change. Panterra, a global strategic advisory firm, conducted the survey Aug. 21–31 with 1,200 participants on the ground in Venezuela and shared the results exclusively with The Post. The firm found that about 70% of Maduro’s opponents do not consider themselves ideologically aligned with his government, but nevertheless feel a mix of hope for the future and fear about political repression.

According to Panterra’s findings, more than half of respondents who oppose Maduro believe he will be removed from power within six months, including 36% who think removal could come in under three months. By contrast, among Maduro supporters, only 6% held favorable views of the United States and 4% favored Trump. Among Maduro opponents, those numbers were higher, with 55% expressing a favorable view of the United States and 44% favorable to Trump. The survey also found that eight in 10 Maduro opponents said their family members who live in the United States might return to Venezuela if regime change occurred, suggesting a perceived potential for re-stabilization and loyalty to a democratic transition, should it occur. Panterra said the results reflect a strong desire among ordinary Venezuelans for change and concern about ongoing political repression.

The political dynamic remains fluid. Maduro has accused Trump of pursuing regime change through heightened military pressure, a charge the White House has disputed. The focus of U.S. pressure on Caracas has included sanctions and a bounty program tied to drug-trafficking charges in New York. Analysts cautioned that polls in Venezuela can be highly sensitive to the current political climate and reporting constraints, but the Panterra findings underscore how the interplay of security moves and political rhetoric is shaping public perception as the regime’s legitimacy remains contested on the world stage.