US Forces Conduct Military Drills in Venezuela’s Capital

The May 23 operation marked the first U.S. military exercise in Venezuela since the Jan. 3 raid to capture then-leader Nicolás Maduro.

U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft prepare to lift off from the flight deck of Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) while underway in the Caribbean Sea, on April 1, 2026. U.S. Navy photo

A contingent of U.S. troops conducted a rapid response exercise in the Venezuelan capital city of Caracas on May 23, marking the first military exercise in ‌the South American nation after U.S. special operations forces raided the city and captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on Jan. 3.

The troops flew in aboard a pair of U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. Also aboard the aircraft was Marine Gen. Francis L. Donovan, the commander of the U.S. Southern Command.