President Donald Trump has sent American warships to the waters off Venezuela and has boasted about strikes on alleged drug boats.

A former State Department lawyer said that the U.S.'s military presence off the Venezuelan coast, despite being "significant," it is "not what you would need to actually invade."

A series of strong earthquakes rattled portions of Venezuela and Colombia in South America on Wednesday and Thursday, sending residents fleeing their homes.

PolitiFact asked the White House for its evidence that Venezuela was sending drugs to the U.S and that the boats were carrying drugs. The White House did not respond with evidence. The White House also did not answer questions about what drugs Venezuela is sending to the U.S. or how many drugs seized in the U.S. come from Venezuela.

China warned on Friday that U.S. military activity in the Caribbean poses a threat to peace in Latin America, criticizing Washington's recent deployment of warships near Venezuela.

Venezuela, on high alert as a United States (US) military deployment off its coast has stirred invasion fears, will hold disaster preparedness drills Saturday as President Nicolas Maduro mulls invoking emergency powers.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said President Nicolás Maduro wrote to President Donald Trump in calling for talks with envoy Richard Grenell.

Venezuela has launched three days of military exercises and put on display its Russian-built fighter jets in a show of force aimed at the US amid rising tensions over Washington’s deployment of US warships to the Caribbean.