The head of the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), Admiral Alvin Holsey, will voluntarily step down at the end of this year, announced by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Thursday, October 16th. Admiral Holsey, aged 60, hailing from Georgia, is a four-star Navy Admiral. He assumed the role of SOUTHCOM Commander in November 2024 after serving as the Deputy Commander from 2023 to 2024 and as the head of the Navy Personnel Command from 2021 to 2022.
The reasons behind Admiral Holsey’s resignation were not disclosed by Secretary Hegseth. Holsey is set to retire on December 12th, serving only a 13-month term. He will be the fourth commander to retire or be dismissed since the global meeting of US military leaders on September 30th.
In a statement, Secretary Hegseth expressed gratitude to Admiral Holsey, praising his commitment to the highest standards of Navy leadership since his joining the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) at Morehouse College in 1988. Hegseth highlighted Holsey’s career achievements, from commanding helicopter squadrons to leading the first aircraft carrier strike group and contributing to the establishment of international maritime security frameworks.
Admiral Holsey also released a statement, expressing his honor in serving the country and supporting the Constitution for over 37 years. He commended the lasting contributions of the SOUTHCOM team to national defense and encouraged them to remain vigilant in their mission to strengthen the nation’s position as a global beacon of freedom.
Amidst this announcement, the US military is actively intercepting maritime traffic from Latin America carrying illicit drugs bound for the United States. In August of this year, several warships, including missile destroyers and a Marine Corps special operations unit with amphibious capabilities, were deployed to the southern Caribbean Sea by the Southern Command.
President Trump announced on October 14th the fifth and latest operation targeting drug trafficking, resulting in the elimination of six suspected drug traffickers. Trump stated that the sunk vessel belonged to a terrorist organization and was transporting drugs off the coast of Venezuela.
At least four additional vessels suspected of drug trafficking were destroyed by precise US military strikes, following an initial action on September 2nd that resulted in the destruction of a vessel and the loss of all 11 crew members.
Subsequently, the US has intensified pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of supporting drug trafficking groups. Maduro denied these allegations in response to Trump’s accusations.
As tensions escalate in the region, the US continues its efforts to combat drug trafficking and uphold security in Latin America.