Admiral Alvin Holsey, the top US military commander responsible for Latin America, is stepping down two years ahead of schedule, amid escalating tensions involving Venezuela and a push by Washington to intensify regional military operations.
Citing three US officials and two people familiar with the matter, Reuters reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pressed for Holsey’s resignation, effective Friday. Officials said Hegseth was dissatisfied with the pace and scope of US military planning and operations under the Southern Command, which Holsey led.
Discussions about potentially removing Holsey began nearly two weeks before his decision to retire was announced, according to one official. Holsey has not publicly explained his early departure. Some officials believe he opposed recent US strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean, although Holsey told lawmakers earlier this week that his decision was unrelated to ongoing military operations in his command area.
Holsey will formally hand over command in a ceremony on Friday. His deputy, Air Force Lieutenant General Evan Pettus, will assume duties as acting head of US Southern Command. Sources said President Donald Trump is considering nominating Lieutenant General Frank Donovan, the vice commander of US Special Operations Command, as Holsey’s permanent successor, though no final decision has been made.
The resignation comes as the Trump administration signals a sharper shift in foreign policy toward the Western Hemisphere. A recently released strategy document calls for reviving the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, framing the entire region as part of Washington’s sphere of influence.
Tensions with Venezuela have risen in recent days. The US Coast Guard seized a Venezuelan oil tanker on Wednesday—the first such action since sanctions were imposed in 2019—and Reuters reported that Washington is preparing to detain additional Venezuelan oil vessels. The Trump administration has also intensified pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of ties to drug trafficking—allegations Maduro denies.
Recent US anti-narcotics operations in the Caribbean have drawn controversy, particularly over the use of lethal force against suspected smuggling boats. US military law prohibits attacks on defenseless or incapacitated individuals, raising legal and ethical questions about some of the recent strikes.
While early retirements of senior US commanders are rare, they are not unprecedented. Since Hegseth took over at the Pentagon, several top officials—including Joint Chiefs Chairman C.Q. Brown and former Navy Chief Lisa Franchetti—have also stepped down, underscoring a broader reshaping of US military leadership.
