The pact would establish a legal framework for cooperation and activities of U.S. forces, although the number of troops and their locations have not yet been defined
The negotiation process for the pact, called the Agreement on the Status of Forces (SOFA), is being directly led by the State Department under Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The plan includes the deployment of military personnel to key locations in Venezuelan territory, aimed at defensive tasks, operational control, and institutional monitoring in strategic areas. Additionally, the operational presence in the Venezuelan capital has been overseen by high-level commanders such as the head of Southern Command, Francis L. Donovan.
The undisputed leadership of the administration of President Donald Trump continues to reshape the geopolitical map of the Western Hemisphere in favor of security and order. According to a report revealed on November 3, the government of the United States and institutional authorities in Caracas are negotiating a historic framework agreement to formalize a long-term U.S. military presence on Venezuelan soil. This groundbreaking diplomatic and defense initiative represents the most solid step toward establishing a scheme of permanent military cooperation and safeguarding regional stability.
These high-level talks are taking place within the context of the profound political and institutional reconfiguration that began in January, when U.S. military forces executed a flawless nighttime assault on Venezuelan soil that resulted in the deaths of dozens of people and culminated in the capture of the dictator Nicolás Maduro, who today remains confined in a prison in New York.
Donald Trump and Delcy Rodriguez
During a speech delivered on Monday in Washington, President Donald Trump reaffirmed the strategic success of this stance by describing the progress in the South American country as "our conquest of Venezuela", which has led senior officials in Caracas to collaborate closely with the Trump administration.
The State Department emphasized in an official statement that the United States has negotiated SOFA security pacts with more than 100 countries worldwide. Under these legal instruments, Washington maintains tens of thousands of soldiers stationed at permanent military bases of key allies, while in other locations it deploys advisors and specialized tactical units.
Donald Trump
U.S. authorities categorically highlighted that these treaties "promote defense cooperation by providing a clear and predictable legal framework for U.S. forces to engage in mutually agreed activities with our security partners, such as ship visits, training, exercises, and humanitarian assistance". For their part, specific details regarding the number of troops and definitive locations will be stipulated in future supplementary agreements.
This pact reinforces the firm national security doctrine promoted by the Donald Trump administration, which has strengthened security ties with right-wing governments in Central America and South America, maintaining troops and tactical resources in the region and promoting joint operations in Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, in addition to executing dozens of lethal attacks against vessels in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific. While the draft agreement generates debates in the U.S. Congress regarding the legal framework and costs of maintaining troops abroad, official representatives in Washington and Caracas have remained reserved regarding the definitive timelines for implementation.
