By Julio A. López
Four-star Marine Corps General Francis L. Donovan, commander of the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), conducted an operational visit on Monday, July 6, to Simón Bolívar International Airport, where he inspected the deployment of U.S. forces supporting humanitarian assistance operations following the devastating June 24 earthquakes.
The significance of the visit extends well beyond the presence of a senior military officer. Donovan is not simply an American general. He commands U.S. Southern Command, one of the 11 unified combatant commands of the U.S. Armed Forces and the highest-ranking operational military authority responsible for a vast region that includes Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. He assumed command of SOUTHCOM on February 5, 2026, and currently holds the rank of four-star general in the U.S. Marine Corps.
During his visit to Maiquetía, Donovan met with U.S. Marines assigned to Littoral Combat Force-24 and U.S. Air Force personnel serving with the Contingency Response Element, according to an official SOUTHCOM statement provided to The Daily Journal.
The U.S. forces deployed at Venezuela’s main international airport are providing critical logistical support to speed the delivery of lifesaving aid to the regions hardest hit by the earthquakes. Their mission includes contingency response capabilities, logistics coordination, and support for the rapid movement of humanitarian supplies.
The deployment forms part of a humanitarian assistance operation led by the United States Department of State and supported by U.S. military forces under SOUTHCOM’s direction. U.S. officials describe the mission as part of the response to the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026. Official U.S. military information channels also confirm that the Armed Forces are supporting the State Department’s earthquake relief efforts.
Donovan’s personal presence in Maiquetía adds strategic weight to the operation. As commander of SOUTHCOM, he oversees U.S. military operations across much of the Western Hemisphere south of Mexico. Before taking command of SOUTHCOM, he served as deputy commander of the United States Special Operations Command. This role further underscores the military significance of his direct presence on Venezuelan soil.
The visit comes twelve days after the earthquakes, as the United States expands its logistical capacity to deliver humanitarian assistance to emergency response areas. SOUTHCOM says the forces stationed in Maiquetía are working to ensure that lifesaving aid reaches the most critical locations as quickly as possible.
