Adm. Alvin Holsey steps down as head of Southern Command amid mounting pressure and Caribbean operations

Admiral Alvin Holsey, commander of the U.S. Southern Command (Southcom), took early retirement Friday, two years ahead of schedule, at a time of significant changes at the top of the Defense Department and as President Donald Trump's administration intensifies its strategic pressure on Venezuela and other key points in the Western Hemisphere.

Holsey assumed command of Southcom on Nov. 7, 2024, and leaves the post after just over a year in office. Air Force Lt. Gen. Evan L. Pettus will take over as acting commander. The departure comes after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly asked him to resign.

Farewell ceremony in Florida

The retirement ceremony was held at the Southern Command headquarters in Doral, Florida, and was presided over by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. During the ceremony, Caine publicly highlighted Holsey's leadership capabilities and described him as an "extraordinary human."

With his departure, Holsey ends a career spanning more than three decades in the U.S. Navy, marked by his time at the helm of one of the most relevant geographic commands for the foreign policy and national security of the country.

Southern Command operational expansion

One of Holsey's major legacies was the operational transformation of Southcom. Under his leadership, the command went from approximately 3,500 troops to nearly 15,000 deployed in direct support of operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to an official statement issued by Southcom itself on the occasion of his retirement.

According to the document, the increase in personnel made it possible to immediately increase the U.S. presence in the region, improve response capacity and strengthen deterrence against transnational threats.

The Panama Canal and strategic differences

Another alleged sticking point was the Southern Command's response to instructions to develop military options that would guarantee the United States full access to the Panama Canal, after President Trump expressed his intention to "reclaim" it. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth considered that Holsey did not act with the required speed in the face of that order.