In Venezuela, US Conducts Rapid Response Exercise

The US military conducted a rapid response exercise involving Marines and military aircraft in Venezuela's capital on Saturday, over four months after the ouster of President Nicolás Maduro. Two Marine Corps Osprey aircraft, which have characteristics of both a helicopter and a fixed-wing airplane, flew over the recently reopened US Embassy in Caracas. They landed in the parking lot with the downdraft blowing tree branches. Forces then descended from the aircraft, the AP reports. "Ensuring the military's rapid response capability is a key component of mission readiness, both here in Venezuela and around the world," the embassy said on Instagram.

Venezuela's government had announced the drill earlier this week. Foreign Minister Yván Gil said the US would carry out the exercise to prepare "in the event of medical emergencies or catastrophic emergencies." The US formally reopened its embassy in Caracas almost two months ago. The reopening followed the restoration of full diplomatic relations with the South American country after Maduro's ouster in early January. Some Caracas residents gathered Saturday near the embassy to watch the aircraft, while a few dozen others protested the exercise elsewhere in the city. Protesters held a Venezuelan flag with the message "No to the Yankee drill" written over it. US military aircraft last flew over Caracas on Jan. 3, when American forces rappelled down from helicopters and captured Maduro and his wife. Both were taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges. They have pleaded not guilty.