First Visit Since the Ouster of Maduro: American General Visits Venezuela

SadaNews - The commander of the U.S. Southern Command, General Francis Donovan, arrived in the Venezuelan capital Caracas and held discussions with the interim president and several senior officials, marking the first visit of its kind since the ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro last month.

A Venezuelan government statement posted on the "X" platform stated that Donovan met with interim president Delcy Rodríguez, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.

The statement explained that both sides agreed to establish a "work program for bilateral cooperation to combat drug trafficking, terrorism, and migration."

The U.S. embassy in Caracas also published a photo of Donovan during his time in the capital, indicating that he first met with members of the U.S. military assigned to guard the embassy facilities, before holding meetings with interim authorities to "assess the security situation."

The embassy stated that the meetings were productive, focusing on the "security environment and the necessary steps to ensure the implementation of President Donald Trump's three-phase plan, particularly regarding the stability of Venezuela, and the importance of collective security throughout the western hemisphere."

After the Ouster of Maduro

This visit follows the U.S. military operation last month that ousted President Nicolás Maduro and transferred him to New York to face drug trafficking charges, according to Washington's announcement.

Trump had appointed Donovan last December, just days before executing the operation that drew mixed responses in the region.

Previously, Southern Command had ordered dozens of strikes on boats that Washington claimed were transporting drugs in the Caribbean, without providing public evidence. Those strikes reportedly resulted in the deaths of more than 130 people, whom some families and governments stated were fishermen.

According to Reuters, citing U.S. officials, Donovan was accompanied on his visit by a prominent Pentagon official, Joseph Homer, marking the first visit of a U.S. military delegation to Caracas in years.

These moves come after U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright's visit to the Venezuelan capital last week, indicating Trump’s efforts to use military and energy pressure to push Caracas to implement extensive reforms.

Source: Agencies