US Military Exercises in Venezuelan Capital Face Protests

[Global Times Special Correspondent Wang Yi] On the 23rd local time, the U.S. military conducted exercises over Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. According to Reuters, this is the first military exercise conducted by the U.S. in Venezuela since the U.S. attack on Caracas on January 3, which forcibly took control of Venezuelan President Maduro and his wife.

The exercise included two MV-22B Osprey transport aircraft landing near the U.S. Embassy on the 23rd, as well as several vessels entering Venezuela's territorial waters in the Caribbean. Venezuela's National Newspaper reported on the 23rd that U.S. Army helicopters flew over the Caracas urban area as part of an emergency exercise requested by the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela.

The U.S. Embassy issued a statement saying that the U.S. remains "committed to ensuring the implementation" of President Trump's three-phase plan, which includes stabilizing the situation, economic recovery, political reconciliation, and democratic transition, "especially the stabilization efforts in Venezuela." Reuters mentioned that U.S. Southern Command Commander Francis Donovan arrived in Caracas aboard one of the Osprey aircraft and met with officials from the Venezuelan interim government.

In response to the U.S. military exercise, the Venezuelan government issued a statement on the 22nd authorizing the U.S. to conduct a "evacuation drill" to address "potential medical situations or disasters." According to Venezuela's National Newspaper, the Venezuelan national security agency previously reported that this evacuation exercise and medical emergency response would receive "coordination and active participation" from Red Cross personnel.

The military news website Army Recognition stated on the 24th that the Caracas exercise demonstrated how quickly the U.S. could reinforce diplomatic facilities or evacuate personnel during a regional security crisis. Unlike traditional helicopters, the Osprey can take off from amphibious assault ships hundreds of kilometers away, rapidly deploying Marines to densely populated urban areas without the need for runways or large infrastructure. This capability holds significant strategic importance for embassy reinforcement and evacuation operations.

On March 5, the governments of the U.S. and Venezuela announced an agreement to restore diplomatic and consular relations. The Associated Press reported that this exercise comes nearly two months after the U.S. officially reopened its embassy in Caracas. Some residents of Caracas gathered near the U.S. Embassy to watch the aircraft exercises, while others held protests in different parts of Caracas against the exercise. Protesters held Venezuelan flags with slogans reading "Oppose U.S. Exercises."

57-year-old Caracas official Evelyn Rebolledo said, "This military exercise keeps us on alert... especially coming from the U.S., considering the current situation and all the turmoil at home. It puts us in a state of uncertainty."