Top US commander for Latin America makes surprise visit to Venezuela

WASHINGTON – The top commander overseeing US forces in Latin America, General Francis Donovan, and senior Pentagon official Joseph Humire made a surprise visit to Venezuela on Feb 18 for talks with officials in Caracas, US officials said.

The trip is the first by a US military delegation since US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an audacious raid in January and whisked him to New York to face drug-trafficking charges. The visit was first reported by Reuters.

It follows a visit last week by US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to Caracas.

The two trips highlight US President Donald Trump’s efforts to use military might and energy policy to push Venezuela to carry out sweeping reforms.

Gen Donovan and Mr Humire discussed security issues with Venezuelan officials alongside the new US envoy to the country, Ms Laura Dogu, according to the US military’s Southern Command.

“Discussions focused on the security environment, steps to ensure the implementation of President Donald Trump’s three-phase plan – particularly the stabilisation of Venezuela – and the importance of shared security across the Western Hemisphere,” Southern Command said in a post on X.

A post on X signed by Ms Dogu called it “another historic day” and said Gen Donovan’s trip began with meetings with US military personnel overseeing facilities at the embassy.

“He then met the interim authorities to assess the security situation... and advance the objective of a Venezuela aligned with the United States,” Ms Dogu said in the post.

Visits to Caracas by high-ranking US officials had been virtually non-existent in recent years, as the bilateral relationship with former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and then Mr Maduro was strained. REUTERS