CARACAS, Venezuela — A top U.S. military commander traveled to Venezuela’s capital this week for extensive discussions with the country’s acting leadership, marking another significant diplomatic development following the recent capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.
Marine General Francis Donovan, who leads U.S. Southern Command overseeing military operations across Latin America, spent several hours Wednesday in meetings with acting President Delcy Rodríguez and key cabinet officials. The Venezuelan government and American military command each confirmed the high-level visit through their respective social media channels.
According to Venezuelan officials, Donovan held talks with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello during his time in Caracas.
The diplomatic engagement follows just weeks after U.S. military forces conducted a dramatic operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture and subsequent transport to America, where he now faces charges related to drug trafficking.
“During this meeting, both countries agreed to work on developing a bilateral cooperation agenda to combat illicit drug trafficking in our region, terrorism, and migration,” Rodríguez’s press office stated in a social media post. “The meeting reaffirms that diplomacy should be the mechanism for resolving differences and addressing issues of binational and regional interest, of interest to all parties.”
The U.S. delegation included Laura Dogu, America’s senior diplomatic representative in Venezuela, along with Joseph Humire, who serves as acting assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and Americas affairs.
American military officials described the talks as centering on regional security matters affecting Venezuela and the broader Western Hemisphere, plus discussions about implementing President Donald Trump’s gradual approach toward the South American nation.
This represents the most recent in a series of high-profile American visits to Venezuela. CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to meet with Rodríguez just two weeks following Maduro’s removal from power, while Energy Secretary Chris Wright conducted meetings with Venezuelan leadership last week as part of an evaluation of the nation’s petroleum sector.
