Venezuela's authoritarian government is conducting a series of military drills across the country to "defend sovereignty, guarantee the future and preserve territorial integrity" as tensions with the U.S. remain high.
The "Ejercicio Independencia 2000" is taking place across eight of the country's 24 states. It began on Saturday and will take place gradually. Authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro said "Venezuela remain alert, with operational cohesion and willingness to defend its national territory."
