Venezuela exercises its military

CARACAS, Venezuela – Soldiers rolled out shoulder-fired missiles, fighter planes and armored trucks Saturday for the first of 10 days of military exercises that the president of socialist-governed Venezuela said are needed to protect against a looming threat from the U.S.

As nearly 100,000 members of the armed forces began conducting exercises across the country, Venezuela’s government got support from South American nations, which criticized the U.S. for the way it imposed sanctions on Venezuelan leaders.

Washington imposed the sanctions last week on several Venezuelan officials accused of human rights violations and declared the country a threat to U.S. national security. President Nicolas Maduro said he would take steps to protect Venezuela from a hostile U.S. government.

The U.S. has denied Maduro’s claim that it is seeking to undermine his government and urged him to focus on Venezuela’s domestic problems.