Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says he is ready to declare a state of emergency over the threat of “aggression” by the United States, following a spate of deadly US attacks on suspected Venezuelan drug boats. On Tuesday, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez told foreign diplomats that Maduro had signed a decree giving himself “special powers” as head of state to act in matters of defence and security in the event the US “dares to attack our homeland”. The decree would allow Maduro to mobilise soldiers throughout the country and give the military authority over public services and the oil industry. This came as US President Donald Trump deployed eight warships, a nuclear-powered submarine and F-35 stealth fighters to international waters off Venezuela’s coast, backed by F-35 fighters sent to Puerto Rico, in the biggest US naval deployment in the Caribbean.