Head of US Military for Latin America Resigns Amid Tensions with Venezuela

(Patria) - Admiral Alvin Holsey, who leads US military forces in Latin America, will step down at the end of this year, two years ahead of schedule, announced Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, in a surprising move amid escalating tensions with Venezuela, Reuters reported.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that there was tension between him and Hegseth over operations in the Caribbean and questions about whether he would be dismissed in the days leading up to the announcement.

Hegseth, in his social media announcement, did not disclose the reason for the departure of Holsey, who is one of two four-star Black officers leading a US combat command.

On social media platform X, Holsey said he would retire on December 12, but did not state a reason. "It has been my honor to serve our nation, the American people, and to support and defend the Constitution for over 37 years," he said.

Holsey's departure comes in the context of a military buildup in the Caribbean, which includes US guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, and about 6,500 troops, as President Donald Trump escalates the conflict with the Venezuelan government.

US military strikes on suspected drug-laden vessels off Venezuela have killed at least 27 people, raising alarm among some legal experts, and mostly among Democratic lawmakers, who question whether the laws of war are being adhered to. The Trump administration claims it is at war with narco-terrorist groups from Venezuela, making the strikes legitimate.

On Wednesday, Trump revealed that he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations within Venezuela, contributing to speculation in Caracas that the United States is attempting to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro.

Holsey is the latest in a series of officers to leave their positions since Hegseth took over the Pentagon. Some dismissals have been abrupt, including those of Chief of Staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, C.Q. Brown, also Black, and the highest-ranking Navy officer, Lisa Franchetti, who was the first woman in that position.

"The Department thanks Admiral Holsey for his decades of service to our country and we wish him and his family continued success and fulfillment in the years to come," Hegseth said on social media platform X.

Less than a week ago, the Pentagon announced that drug interdiction operations in the region would not be led by Southern Command, based in Miami, but by II Marine Expeditionary Force, a unit capable of rapid overseas operations based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

The decision surprised US military observers, as a combat command like Southern Command would typically lead all high-profile operations.