The United States military carried out a rapid response exercise on Saturday in Venezuela's capital, Caracas, involving Marines and military aircraft. This operation took place more than four months after the ousting of former President Nicolás Maduro.
Exercise Details
Two Marine Corps Osprey aircraft, which combine features of a helicopter and a fixed-wing airplane, flew over the recently reopened U.S. Embassy in Caracas. The aircraft landed in the embassy parking lot, with the downdraft from their rotors blowing tree branches. Personnel then disembarked from the aircraft, demonstrating the military's quick reaction capabilities.
The U.S. Embassy in Caracas posted on Instagram: "Ensuring the military’s rapid response capability is a key component of mission readiness, both here in Venezuela and around the world."
Official Statements
Venezuela's government had announced the drill earlier in the week. Foreign Minister Yván Gil stated that the exercise was intended to prepare for "medical emergencies or catastrophic emergencies."
Context and Reactions
This drill occurs nearly two months after the U.S. formally reopened its embassy in Caracas, following the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Venezuela after Maduro's removal from power in early January.
On Saturday, some Caracas residents gathered near the embassy to observe the aircraft, while a few dozen others assembled elsewhere in the city to protest the exercise. Protesters displayed a Venezuelan flag with the message "No to the Yankee drill" written across it.
U.S. military aircraft last flew over Caracas on January 3, when elite forces rappelled from helicopters and captured Maduro and his wife. Both were taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges, to which they have pleaded not guilty.
