Protests as US military conducts ‘rapid response’ drill in Caracas
U.S. military aircraft last flew over Caracas on Jan. 3, when elite forces rappelled down from helicopters and captured Maduro and his wife (AFP/Getty)
The U.S.military conducted a rapid response drill Saturday at its recently reopened embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, where two Marine Corps Osprey aircraft landed in the embassy parking lot.
Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Yván Gil had announced the drill, which the U.S. Embassy stated was crucial for ensuring military readiness and preparing for potential medical or catastrophic emergencies.
This exercise took place over four months after the ouster of then-President Nicolás Maduro and nearly two months after the U.S. formally re-established its embassy in Caracas, restoring full diplomatic relations.
While some Caracas residents gathered to observe the aircraft, a group of protesters elsewhere in the city displayed a Venezuelan flag with the message ‘No to the Yankee drill’ to express their opposition.
The last U.S. military aircraft presence in Caracas was on January 3, when elite forces captured Maduro and his wife, who now face federal drug trafficking charges in New York, accused of leading a conspiracy to ship drugs to the United States.
