The Trump administration is negotiating a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with Venezuela that could establish a long-term US military presence, with the negotiations led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and details on troop numbers and ground operations postponed to future discussions, according to a Nov. 4 Venezuela analysis.
￭ Washington says such agreements provide a framework for "ship visits, training, exercises and humanitarian assistance," but the negotiations raise concerns about the expansion of the U.S. military in Venezuela, whose constitution prohibits foreign military bases under Article 13.
￭ The talks follow the January 3 US attacks and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Celia Flores, followed by visits by senior US military officials and a series of military strikes.