"The rank and file are starving, just like their population," Admiral Craig Faller, who heads the US military's Southern Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee.
He called the Venezuelan military a "degraded force," but one that "remains loyal to Maduro - and that makes it dangerous."
Faller, who assumed command of SOUTHCOM in November, said the US military was keeping a close eye on Venezuela and was prepared to protect American personnel and diplomatic facilities "if necessary."
Though President Donald Trump has declined to rule out military intervention in crisis-gripped Venezuela, Faller said the focus is on supporting diplomatic efforts.
He said the United States is looking for signs the Venezuelan military's loyalty to Maduro might be "cracking," but he declined to elaborate in the public hearing.