The Pentagon has deployed a total of about 2,000 US military personnel and specialized personnel to provide emergency humanitarian assistance in Venezuela.
The actions are in response to the two catastrophic earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that struck the South American country late last week, Reuters reported.
According to official information from General Francis Donovan, commander of [US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM)](https://en.mehrnews.com/news/245778/US-military-deploys-over 900-personnel-to-Venezuela), more than 900 specialists are already operating in Venezuela itself. Another 800 or so service members are stationed at regional Caribbean logistics centers in Puerto Rico and Curacao, and additional naval and air forces are providing logistics.
The U.S. forces are focused entirely on search and rescue missions, rebuilding key airport infrastructure, and distributing international humanitarian aid. For the needs of the Venezuelan authorities, the Pentagon has also flown at least 4-5 MQ-9 Reaper drones into the air, which provide detailed satellite data on the destruction on the ground.
The current humanitarian mission marks a historic diplomatic turn. Just five months ago - on January 3, 2026 - the United States conducted a direct military operation (Absolute Resolve) to capture then-President Nicolás Maduro. Today, Washington is working closely with the interim government in Caracas to manage the humanitarian crisis. The Pentagon stressed that the US military will not remain permanently on the ground and will withdraw immediately after the rescue operations are completed.