US military says monitoring Venezuela events, no change in mission

The U.S. military on Tuesday said it was monitoring developments in Venezuela but suggested no role in the unfolding events, as armed factions opposing and supporting President Nicolas Maduro clashed at a protest outside a Caracas air base.

"We are monitoring the recent developments in Venezuela closely and are in close contact with our interagency partners and senior chain of command. At the present time, U.S. Southern Command's mission remains unchanged," said Colonel Armando Hernandez, a spokesman at the U.S. military's Southern Command, which oversees U.S. forces in Latin America. (Reporting by Phil Stewart Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)