Top US Military Officer Holds High-Level Talks in Caracas

(MENAFN) The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, has visited Caracas for the first time in an official capacity, meeting with interim Venezuelan leadership and US diplomatic personnel, according to statements from the Joint Staff.

During the visit, Caine held bilateral discussions with senior officials in the capital and also met staff at the US Embassy, including personnel assigned to the Marine Security Augmentation Unit. He emphasized priorities including regional stability in the Western Hemisphere and continued security coordination, alongside Washington’s broader strategic approach toward Venezuela.

According to reports, the talks also referenced the implementation of a US-backed three-phase framework for Venezuela, which includes stabilization, recovery, and a political transition process leading toward elections. The statement highlighted Washington’s position that Venezuela’s future should be “stable, prosperous and democratic” and aligned with US interests.

The visit follows months of heightened tensions and major political upheaval in Venezuela, including the removal of President Nicolás Maduro earlier in the year during a US-led military operation. Following that operation, Venezuelan institutions underwent rapid leadership changes, including the installation of interim authorities and revisions to key governance structures, alongside the release of some political detainees.

Officials described the current engagement as part of ongoing efforts to consolidate security arrangements and support a structured political transition. The meeting is also viewed as one of the most significant direct military-diplomatic engagements between the two countries in recent years.

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