US Military Conducts Exercise in Caracas with Venezuelan Official Authorization

The US military conducted a military exercise in Caracas today, the first such drill in the country since the US military attacked the Venezuelan capital in January and arrested then-President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The Venezuelan government stated that the exercise was officially authorized and primarily intended as an evacuation drill for potential disasters or medical emergencies. The exercise involved two MV-22B Osprey transport aircraft landing near the US Embassy, and US naval vessels also entered Venezuelan Caribbean waters. The Venezuelan press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. The US Embassy stated in a release that it remains "committed to implementing President Trump's three-stage plan, particularly for the stabilization of the situation in Venezuela." US Southern Command Commander Francis Donovan arrived in Caracas via an Osprey and met with officials from the interim government. President Delcy Rodriguez, supported by the Trump administration, has passed legislation opening vast oil and mineral resources to the US. Meanwhile, opposition leader Maria Corina Machado spoke to hundreds of Venezuelan expatriates at a rally in Panama City, vowing to continue pushing for organized movements.