U.S. military conducts first major Caracas exercise after Maduro's ouster

U.S. forces carried out a large‑scale drill in Caracas on Saturday, the first such operation on Venezuelan soil since the interim government took power after the removal of Nicolás Maduro. The exercise, involving two MV‑22B Osprey aircraft and Marine units from the United States Southern Command, was conducted with the explicit authorization of the Venezuelan authorities and simulated an emergency evacuation of embassy personnel.

General Francis L. Donovan, commander of the Southern Command, observed the maneuver and held bilateral talks with officials of the transitional Venezuelan government. The U.S. Embassy in Caracas said the drill was meant to “ensure the implementation of President Donald Trump's three‑phase plan, particularly the stabilization of Venezuela and shared security across the Western Hemisphere.”

While the operation showcased rapid‑response capabilities and a growing security partnership between Washington and the new Venezuelan administration, it also drew mixed reactions from the public, with some residents watching the Ospreys land near the embassy and others protesting the presence of U.S. military assets in the capital.