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US President Donald Trump has named a new nominee to head US forces in Latin America after an admiral resigned early.
In a statement on Friday, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced that Trump had appointed General Francis L Donovan to head the US Southern Command. He added that the role entails overseeing the major US military buildup taking place in the Caribbean.
According to AFP, the previous Southern Command head, Admiral Alvin Holse, announced in mid-October that he would resign from his position, and had reportedly expressed concerns about US strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats.
Holsey officially stepped down from the role this month, only one year into his tenure.
The appointment of Donovan, currently the vice commander of the Pentagon’s Special Operations Command, would need to be confirmed by the Senate before he can take up the position.
The United States has deployed a large flotilla of warships in the Caribbean under the banner of counter-narcotics operations, carrying out strikes on alleged drug-smuggling vessels since September that have reportedly killed over 100 people.
The Trump administration maintains it is effectively at war with drug traffickers, though experts warn the attacks may constitute extrajudicial killings, even if the targets are known criminals.
In an interview on Thursday with NBC News, Trump left open the possibility of war with Venezuela, and his top diplomat, Marco Rubio, vowed to enforce a blockade on the country’s oil wealth.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has, however, accused Washington of using the drug war as a pretext to push for government change in Caracas.
