US general’s surprise Venezuela visit tackles drugs, illegal migration and security

"Discussions focused on the security environment, steps to ensure the implementation of President Donald Trump's three-phase plan – particularly the stabilisation of Venezuela – and the importance of shared security across the Western Hemisphere," Southern Command said in a post on social media.

Dogu in a separate post by the US embassy called it a historic day in the effort to, "advance the objective of a Venezuela aligned with the United States."

Visits to Caracas by high-ranking US officials were virtually nonexistent for many years, as the bilateral relationship with former President Hugo Chavez and then Maduro was severely strained.

For Donovan, it was his inaugural trip to Latin America as the head of Southern Command, a post he assumed on February 5. Before that, he helped lead the US military's special operations around the world as the number two at Special Operations Command.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Edmund Klamann and Edwina Gibbs)