US carries out military exercises in the capital of Venezuela

The US armed forces carried out a military exercise over the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, this Saturday (23).

This was the first American military exercise in the country since US troops captured dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on January 3. Venezuelan authorities say the operation killed at least 100 people.

The exercise, authorized by the Venezuelan government as a mock mobilization for possible medical emergencies or disasters, included two MV-22B Osprey planes that landed near the US embassy and vessels that entered Venezuelan waters in the Caribbean Sea.

Venezuela's Ministry of Information did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The U.S. Embassy said in a statement that it remains "committed to ensuring the implementation" of President Donald Trump's three-phase plan, "particularly the stabilization of Venezuela."

The embassy reported that Francis Donovan, commander of US Southern Command, responsible for American military operations in the Americas, was present in Caracas.

"This puts us on alert," said Evelyn Rebolledo, 57, an administrator residing in the capital.

"A foreign country flying over the city is something new for us, even more so coming from the United States, given the current situation and all the turmoil in the country. This leaves us in a state of uncertainty," said Rebolledo.

The Trump administration has supported the government of Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's former deputy leader, who passed laws to open up Venezuela's vast reserves of oil and mineral resources to the US.

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Source: CNN