Socialist dictator of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro received a high-caliber rifle from cadets of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) this week.
Maduro asserted that the weapon will “always be put to good use” in his hands, without disclosing further specifics.
According to VTV, the Maduro regime’s flagship propaganda news channel, the dictator received the “gifted” firearm during an end-of-year salutation ceremony for FANB members at a Venezuelan Navy academy in Catia La Mar, Vargas.
VTV claimed that the rifle symbolizes Maduro’s “defense of the nation’s territorial sovereignty and independence” and his purported “tireless work to protect and safeguard the natural resources and peace of the people.”
On Monday, Maduro published a notably edited clip of the rifle’s “award” ceremony on his official TikTok account and on other platforms. The footage was edited to “enlarge” the rifle and add special sound effects. Maduro is seen in the video wearing military-esque garb and holding a baton.
@nicolasmadurom Recibo este regalo con profunda alegría. Tengan la certeza de que en mis manos tendrá un buen uso este fusil que me entrega la cadete en representación de la FANB.
“I accept this gift with great joy. Rest assured that this rifle given to me today by the Armed Forces will always be put to good use in my hands. Thank you,” Maduro said.
The socialist dictator also delivered a speech in which — referring to the ongoing U.S. military presence in Caribbean international waters and President Donald Trump’s maximum pressure campaign against his regime — he claimed that Venezuela “has been under attack by Goliath for 27 weeks.”
“And I believe that, in these 27 weeks, they have crowned an effort that has lasted at least 26 years, when the Bolivarian Constitution reestablished the concept of national security, founded the concept of territorial integrity, and reestablished the concept of Venezuela’s defense doctrine,” he claimed.
The Argentine outlet Infobae described the gifted rifle as a “.50 caliber sniper rifle” and reported that Maduro called for “supreme loyalty” from the military during the event at a time when the Trump administration has ramped up pressure on Maduro.
United States military officials are presently conducting Operation Southern Spear, a U.S. Department of War mission against transnational maritime drug trafficking networks. The ongoing military actions have so far resulted in at least 30 drug trafficking vessels targeted by precision strikes across Caribbean and Eastern Pacific waters since September — with the latest publicly known strike having taken place on Monday.
Maduro has repeatedly claimed that the United States’ drug-fighting actions are instead part of a purported U.S. plan to “invade” Venezuela, imposing regime change to oust him from power and “steal” Venezuela’s oil and other resources. During the event, Maduro referred to his repeated accusations while invoking Christian faith, asserting that Jesus Christ “would never approve of a war to steal a people’s wealth.”
“The use of force or the threat of force is the very opposite of Christ, using force against the people of David, in this case against the Venezuelan people,” Maduro said. “It is a crime to attempt to use threats as Goliath did against a noble and peaceful people, but a warrior people, as are the people of Venezuela.”
On Friday, President Trump revealed during a radio interview that U.S. forces neutralized at least one drug trafficking facility in Venezuela, marking the first land strike in Venezuelan territory since the start of the drug-fighting operations, but did not disclose further specifics.
On Monday, speaking to reporters during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, President Trump once again referred to the “hit” on an area in Venezuela used to load boats with drugs.
“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs. So we hit all the boats, and now we hit the area,” President Trump said.
Maduro, despite being indicted by U.S. courts and actively wanted by U.S. authorities on multiple narco-terrorism charges, has repeatedly denied being involved in drug trafficking or any drug cartel-related operations. At press time, no Venezuelan outlet — state-owned or independent — has reported any details on the strike revealed by President Trump.
Over the past hours, the Venezuelan dictator has instead touted his regime’s purported drug-fighting efforts, claiming during a Monday event that “Venezuela has an exemplary and unique model in South America for combating crime, criminal gangs, and drug trafficking by air, land, and sea.” Maduro also congratulated FANB for allegedly having shot down “39 narco-planes” in 2025.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.