Civil servants, housewives and retirees alike lined up in Venezuela's capital Caracas on Saturday as thousands volunteered to join the country's militia in case there is a U.S. invasion.
President Nicolas Maduro called on citizens to respond to the current U.S. "threat" and sign up over the weekend to the Bolivarian Militia, a civilian corps linked to the South American country's armed forces.
The show of force is also intended to send a message to Washington, which has issued a $50 million bounty for Maduro – who is accused by the Trump administration of leading a drug cartel – and has stationed three warships off Venezuela's coast for what the US says are anti-drug operations.
On Friday, Maduro described the US moves as an "illegal" attempt at regime change.
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