US Military Chief in Latin America Steps Down After Tensions with Maduro

Admiral Alvin Holsey, in charge of US military operations in Latin America, announced that he will be leaving his position as head of the Southern Command (Southcom) at the end of the year. The decision was confirmed on Thursday (16) by War Secretary Pete Hegseth, surprising American officials as the role is typically held for three years. Holsey has been leading Southcom since the end of last year. Sources from the Department of Defense state that his departure comes amidst disagreements with the Donald Trump administration regarding military actions in the Caribbean. According to the New York Times, the admiral questioned the campaign against vessels allegedly linked to drug trafficking coming from Venezuela towards the US, resulting in 27 recent deaths from five operations.