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Venezuela has been plunged in an economic crisis due to the sanctions and act of terrorism of the US government who failed to install its puppet, Juan Guaidó, to control the country and its natural resources, and it may seem that the country would be unable to defend itself against the US overwhelming force, but the Venezuelan government’s careful planning made it impossible for the USA to have a chance at succeeding.
The Venezuelan forces consist of 123,000 active members, 220,000 paramilitaries and a reserve of 8,000 for a great total of 351,000 Venezuelans who are combat-ready. Venezuela also reports that it has a Bolivarian Militia of over 3.2 million volunteers.
Its Air Force has few combat aircraft compared to the USA with 15 F-16A Fighting Falcon, 3 F-16B Fighting Falcon, 22 Su-30MKV and 9 Mi-35M2 Hind attack helicopters.
Its air defense which consists of an estimate of 3 S-300VM, 12 Buk-M2E, 12 S-125 P2M, would only inflict minor damage to the US Air Force.
Its navy consists of 1 Sábalo submarine, 2 Mariscal Sucre corvettes, 3 Guaiqueri patrol boats, 3 Federación gunboats and 3 Constitucion gunboats.
The USA would neutralize the Venezuelan Air Force and Navy and be able to bombard industrial targets to destabilize the country.
After that, if the USA would want to win, they would have to send ground troops to occupy the country and the conflict would turn into an irregular warfare and this is where Venezuela shines.
Venezuela’s armored fighting vehicles consist of 81 AMX-30V and 92 T-72B1 tanks, 31 AMX-13 and 78 Scorpion-90 light tanks, 10 VN-16 amphibious light tanks. The country also has 123 BMP-3 and 114 BTR-80A infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), 121 various armored reconnaissance vehicles and around 260 various armored personnel carriers (APC).
Its artillery consists of 60 self-propelled 155/152mm, 92 towed 105/155mm, and 56 multiple rocket launchers (MRL).
It was reported that Venezuela held at least 1800 man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) in 2008 and its current exact number is unknown but has increased since. Venezuela does not hold any kind of MANPADS, but the advanced Russian-made 9K338 Igla-S (SA-24) MANPADS which can engage aircraft up to 6 kilometers (20,000 feet) which beats the famous American FIM-92 Stinger MANPAD by more than 1.5 kilometers (5000 feet).
These MANPADS could engage American helicopters and make control of the skies impossible for the USA and prevent US transport of troops and supplies.
Indeed, due to the Venezuelan jungles and mountains, it would be necessary for the USA to use helicopters to sustain a conflict, which would be impossible under such circumstances.
The main Venezuelan cities are in mountainous regions and have jungles in the area which provide a natural defense against ground troops and bombardments and would greatly facilitate irregular warfare for the Venezuelan forces.
Caracas with its beautiful mountains that would be the tomb of any invaders
With its hundreds of thousands of soldiers and millions of trained supporters, Venezuela would be able to adopt hit-and-run tactics and sustain an unstoppable irregular warfare by its armed forces mixed with guerrilla warfare by its supporters against the USA.
It would make Vietnam or Afghanistan look like a walk in Disney Land compared to the hell that American troops would go through if they tried to put a single foot in Venezuela.
