The Daily Journal — Five months after a U.S. military operation ended with the capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, Washington’s top military leadership returned to Caracas in a visit aimed at demonstrating strategic continuity in the new phase of relations between the two countries.
Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine made his first official visit to Venezuela on Wednesday since the operation known as Operation Absolute Resolve, which U.S. forces carried out on January 3, 2026.
The U.S. Embassy in Caracas confirmed Caine’s presence through a post on X. At the same time, Joe Holstead, spokesperson for the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided additional details in an official statement.
According to the statement, General Caine held bilateral meetings with “senior leaders of Venezuela’s interim government” and with officials from the U.S. diplomatic mission in Caracas.
He also visited the Marine Security Reinforcement Unit stationed at the U.S. Embassy, where he thanked military personnel for their service.
Spokesperson Joe Holstead stated that Caine emphasized “the importance of Venezuela’s stability, shared security in the Western Hemisphere, and the Joint Force’s commitment to ensuring the implementation of the President of the United States’ three-phase plan.”
The statement added that Washington continues to pursue the goal of a Venezuela that is “stable, prosperous, democratic, and aligned with the United States.”
Five Months After the Military Operation
The visit comes exactly five months after the January 3, 2026 military operation, when U.S. forces conducted a raid in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Maduro and Cilia Flores. Authorities later transferred both individuals to the United States, where they now face federal charges.
Since then, Caracas and Washington have maintained political and military communication channels, including multiple visits by senior U.S. officials involved in defense, intelligence, and foreign policy.
On April 23, U.S. Marine Corps aircraft flew over Caracas as part of a military exercise at the U.S. Embassy compound in the Venezuelan capital.
The embassy explained through its official social media accounts that the deployment aimed to “ensure the military’s rapid-response capability.”
General Francis L. Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, attended and directly supervised the exercise. The visit marked his second trip to the Venezuelan capital this year.
