Venezuela launches military exercise over threat from UK

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday ordered more than 5,600 military personnel to participate in a defensive exercise, in response to Britain sending a warship to waters off Guyana.

Maduro said he was launching a joint action of a defensive nature in response to the provocation and threat of the United Kingdom against peace and the sovereignty of the country. Britain said it would divert the patrol vessel HMS Trent to Guyana, amid the South American country's territorial dispute with neighboring Venezuela over the oil-rich Essequibo region.