The head of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff visited Caracas on his first official trip to Venezuela

General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Armed Forces, visited Caracas this Wednesday on his first official trip to Venezuela, the highest-ranking U.S. military visit since the intervention that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro.

The spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joe Holstead, confirmed that Caine "participated in bilateral discussions with high leaders of the Venezuelan interim government and with the leadership and staff of the U.S. Embassy," and that he also visited the Marine Security Augmentation Unit of the Embassy, where he thanked the personnel for their service.

During the meetings, General Caine emphasized "the importance of Venezuelan stability, shared security in the Western Hemisphere, and the Joint Force's commitment to ensuring the implementation of President Trump's three-phase plan."

This plan, publicly outlined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, consists of three stages: political and security stabilization, economic recovery through private investment and oversight of the oil sector, and a political transition towards free elections.

The official statement from the Joint Chief of Staff concluded with a declaration of principles: "The United States is committed to a stable, prosperous, and democratic Venezuela aligned with the United States."

Caine's visit represents the highest-ranking military presence to date within the context of the Venezuelan transition process.

Previously, General Francis L. Donovan, head of the U.S. Southern Command, visited Caracas on May 24 to oversee the stabilization plan, with the presence of MV-22B Osprey aircraft, and he had also visited on February 18 during his first official trip to the country.

The context of these high-level military contacts is the "Absolute Resolution" operation on January 3, 2026, carried out by U.S. special forces with the support of the CIA, which resulted in the capture of Maduro and the establishment of an interim government led by Delcy Rodríguez.

Since then, Washington has strengthened its military presence in the country, including the Marine Security Augmentation Unit at the Embassy, and has maintained intense diplomatic and military activity to oversee the transition process.

The visit of the highest military official from the U.S. significantly elevates the level of bilateral contacts and underscores the strategic importance that Washington places on the Venezuelan process, at a time when analysts warn about the risks of delaying the transition and estimate that free elections may not be held before mid-2027 in the most optimistic scenario.