On 25 August, Venezuela deployed 15,000 troops to its border with Colombia to counter drug trafficking. The move comes amid escalating pressure from the United States, which has placed a USD 50 million bounty for the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and has deployed warships to the Caribbean. While diplomatic tensions between Venezuela and Colombia have eased in some channels, the region remains volatile. Colombian border towns reacted with concern over heightened militarization, though responses were mixed. The deployment raises the risk of regional instability and potential miscalculation.