Following the deadly earthquakes, the United States is deploying more than 900 troops to Venezuela in an unprecedented operation.

The United States has deployed more than 900 troops to Venezuela to support relief efforts following the powerful 7,2 and 7,5 magnitude earthquakes that struck the country last week. Meanwhile, approximately 800 other U.S. military personnel are mobilized from Puerto Rico and Curaçao to support this humanitarian mission, General Francis Donovan, head of U.S. Southern Command, told Reuters.

According to the American general, the deployed forces are participating in search and rescue operations, contributing to the airport's reopening, and providing logistical support to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid. Air and naval assets have also been mobilized to expedite relief efforts in the hardest-hit areas.

The U.S. military has also deployed several MQ-9 Reaper drones over Venezuelan territory. These aircraft gather information on the condition of infrastructure, locate damaged buildings, and verify road accessibility. The collected data is analyzed with the support of a coordination cell based in Miami before being transmitted to Venezuelan authorities.

General Donovan explained that these surveillance capabilities are usually used to monitor regional threats, but this time they are being used to enhance the effectiveness of relief operations. According to him, these capabilities provide a comprehensive overview that teams on the ground cannot always obtain.

This deployment marks a major shift in military relations between Washington and Caracas. It comes just months after a US operation on January 3rd aimed at capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, illustrating an unprecedented turn towards cooperation focused on humanitarian aid following the natural disaster.