In surprise move, head of US military for Latin America to step down

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By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The admiral who leads U.S. military forces in Latin America will step down at the end of this year, two years ahead of schedule, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday, in a surprise move amid escalating tensions with Venezuela.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that there had been tension between him and Hegseth over operations in the Caribbean and questions about whether he would be fired in the days leading up to the announcement.

Hegseth, in his social media post, did not disclose the reason for the departure of Holsey, who is one of two Black four-star officers leading a U.S. combatant command.

On X, Holsey said he would retire on December 12, but did not give a reason.

“It’s been an honor to serve our nation, the American people and support and defend the Constitution for over 37 years,” he said.

Holsey’s departure comes against the backdrop of a military buildup in the Caribbean that includes U.S.-guided missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets and around 6,500 troops as President Donald Trump escalates a standoff with the Venezuelan government.

U.S. military strikes against suspected drug boats off Venezuela have killed at least 27 people, raising alarms among some legal experts and mostly Democratic lawmakers, who question whether they adhere to the laws of war. The Trump administration argues it is in a war with narcoterrorist groups from Venezuela, making the strikes legitimate.

On Wednesday, Trump disclosed that he had authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, adding to speculation in Caracas that the United States is attempting to topple President Nicolas Maduro.

Holsey is the latest in a series of flag officers to leave their positions since Hegseth took over the Pentagon. Some firings have been abrupt, including those of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, C.Q. Brown, who was Black, and the top naval officer, Lisa Franchetti, who was the first woman to hold the position.

“The Department thanks Admiral Holsey for his decades of service to our country, and we wish him and his family continued success and fulfillment in the years ahead,” Hegseth said on X.

Less than a week ago, the Pentagon announced its counter-narcotics operations in the region would not be led by the Miami-based Southern Command, but by II Marine Expeditionary Force, a unit capable of rapid overseas operations that is based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

The decision came as a surprise to U.S. military-watchers, since a combatant command like Southern Command would normally lead any high-profile operations.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali, Editing by Franklin Paul and Lisa Shumaker)