In a decisive response to the Trump administration’s deployment of U.S. warships in the Caribbean, Venezuela has initiated a military buildup, complete with the accumulation of weapons and strategic equipment.

Described by the Venezuelan government as a strategy of “prolonged resistance,” this operation involves small military units stationed at over 280 locations. These units are reportedly engaging in acts of sabotage and utilizing guerrilla tactics, based on sources and planning documents reviewed by Reuters that date back several years.

When approached for comment, a War Department official told Fox News, “We don’t discuss intelligence matters.”

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has accused the Trump administration of attempting to overthrow him. He has vowed that Venezuelans will stand firm against any perceived American aggression to protect their nation.

The arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the U.S. Southern Command’s jurisdiction marks an escalation in President Donald Trump’s intensified efforts in the war on drugs. In reaction, Venezuela is mobilizing its military forces.

Meanwhile, the administration has ordered a series of deadly strikes targeting suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean in an effort to curb the flow of illegal narcotics into the United States. President Donald Trump has suggested the possibility of ground operations in Venezuela, saying “the land is going to be next.” 

On Tuesday, the U.S. Navy said the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group had entered the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility as part of an American presence to support the growing naval buildup in the region.  

“The enhanced U.S. force presence in the USSOUTHCOM AOR will bolster U.S. capacity to detect, monitor, and disrupt illicit actors and activities that compromise the safety and prosperity of the United States homeland and our security in the Western Hemisphere,” said Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell. “These forces will enhance and augment existing capabilities to disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations.”

The Trump administration ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford to head to U.S. Southern Command, prompting Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro to accuse Trump of “fabricating a new eternal war.”  (Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images; Getty Images)

Aside from the significant resource disparities between the U.S. and Venezuelan militaries, some Venezuelan unit commanders have even been forced to negotiate with local food producers to feed their troops because government supplies fall short, Reuters reported.

Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s Vice President Tareck El Aissami and Cilia Flores take part in a military exercise at Fuerte Tiuna military base in Caracas on Feb. 24, 2018.  (Reuters)

Part of Venezuela’s defense strategy includes a guerrilla-style response, according to reports. 

“We wouldn’t last two hours in a conventional war,” a source close to the government told the news outlet. 

Russia’s foreign ministry said last week it was prepared to respond to Venezuela’s requests for assistance, while urging against an escalation in tensions. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.