United States Conducts Military Exercise Over Venezuelan Capital Caracas

(Patria) - The U.S. military conducted an exercise over Venezuela's capital, Caracas, on Saturday, its first military exercise in the South American nation since U.S. troops invaded the capital and abducted President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on January 3, Reuters reported.

Venezuelan authorities say at least one hundred people died in that attack.

The exercise, which the Venezuelan government said it had approved as an evacuation drill for possible medical emergencies or disasters, involved two MV-22B Osprey aircraft landing near the U.S. Embassy and vessels entering Venezuelan waters in the Caribbean Sea.

The Venezuelan Ministry of Information did not immediately respond to Reuters' 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, "especially the stabilization of Venezuela.".

The embassy said Francis Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Americas, was present in Caracas.

"This keeps us on edge," said Evelyn Rebolledo (57), an administrator who lives in Caracas.

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

The Trump administration has supported the government of Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro's former vice president, who has enacted laws opening Venezuela's oil reserves and mining resources to the U.S.