Puerto Rico Governor Fires Back at Maduro's Invasion Remarks, Accuses Him of 'Filling the Island with Drugs'

Puerto Rico's governor, Jenniffer González, issued a statement on Tuesday responding to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who had challenged her to "lead from the front" if an invasion of Venezuela were to take place amid ongoing U.S. military exercises in the Caribbean.

In her official statement shared on social media, González referred to Maduro as a "dictator" and "drug trafficker," saying his threats "portray the gang-like character of his regime." She added:

"As governor of Puerto Rico, I will continue defending the security of our island and the Caribbean from drug trafficking and its cartel. The drugs and violence that reach our streets as a result of his operations steal our people's peace and lives every day"

González also criticized Puerto Rican opposition parties, including the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) and the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP), accusing them of "defending a criminal" by repeating what she described as Maduro's narratives. "Instead of siding with the Venezuelan people who suffer under his regime," she said, "they choose to stand with a dictator who threatens our people."

Maduro's remarks were made during an interview with former Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa on the Russian network RT. Responding to Puerto Rico's support for the U.S. military presence, Maduro said:

"The governor of Puerto Rico is joining a military plan. I tell the governor: if you claim you'll invade Venezuela, be the first to come"

Earlier this week, González reaffirmed her support for U.S. counter-narcotics operations, calling Puerto Rico "the U.S. border in the Caribbean" and stating that the deployment of 10 F-35 fighter jets and additional naval forces was aimed at "attacking the source" of drug trafficking in the region.

The exchange comes as tensions escalate between Washington and Caracas. The Trump administration has accused Maduro's government of directing a major drug-trafficking network, allegations Venezuela strongly denies. During the same interview, Maduro said Venezuela "is completely free of the phenomenon of drug trafficking" and accused Washington of using the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua as "a myth to justify military action."