CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) 鈥� The U.S. military conducted a rapid response exercise involving Marines and military aircraft in Venezuela鈥檚 capital Saturday, over four months after the .
Two Marine Corps Osprey aircraft, which have characteristics of both a helicopter and a fixed-wing airplane, flew over . They landed in the parking lot with the downdraft blowing tree branches. Forces then descended from the aircraft.
鈥淓nsuring the military鈥檚 rapid response capability is a key component of mission readiness, both here in Venezuela and around the world,鈥� the embassy said on Instagram.
Venezuela鈥檚 government had announced the drill earlier this week. Foreign Minister Yv谩n Gil said the U.S. would conduct the exercise to prepare 鈥渋n the event of medical emergencies or catastrophic emergencies.鈥�
The drill comes almost two months after the U.S. formally reopened its embassy in Caracas. The reopening followed the restoration of full diplomatic relations with the South American country after ‘s ouster in early January.
Some Caracas residents Saturday gathered near the embassy to watch the aircraft, while a few dozen others gathered elsewhere in the city to protest the exercise. Protesters held a Venezuelan flag with the message 鈥淣o to the Yankee drill鈥� written over it.
U.S. military aircraft last flew over Caracas on Jan. 3, when elite forces rappelled down from helicopters and captured Maduro and his wife. Both were taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges. They have pleaded not guilty.
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