Venezuela’s Interior Minister, Diosdado Cabello, could be next on the list to be targeted by a US operation if he does not cooperate with the country’s demands for political transition after the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
Considered the “number two” of Chavismo and a loyal ally of the deposed dictator, Cabello was warned by the American government about the consequences of rebelling against Washington’s orders, according to sources consulted by the agency Reuters.
The message was conveyed by US emissaries, who warned him that any attempt to undermine Washington’s plan for Venezuela would result in a Maduro-like fate for him.
The minister is internationally recognized for leading the repressive policy of the Chavista dictatorship, marked by serious human rights violations. With this, the US is assessing whether he is a figure of trust in the regime in this transition period led by interim dictator Delcy Rodríguez.
According to the source, Trump administration officials are especially concerned about Cabello’s record and her rivalry with Rodríguez, which could become obstacles to the White House’s plans in Venezuela. In Washington’s view, Maduro’s ally could act as a destabilizing element, provoking sabotage, for example.
On the other hand, the US is evaluating the effects of Chavista’s capture. One of the lines of analysis by White House advisors points out that a new operation to remove Cabello from Venezuela would generate strong instability due to his strong influence among pro-regime repressive units, such as collectives, which could invade the streets and provoke widespread terror against the population.
Days after Maduro’s capture, the The Wall Street Journal released a report in which it revealed that a confidential analysis by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), shared with President Donald Trump, had influenced the decision to keep the Chavista regime in power in Venezuela, precisely with the aim of avoiding further instability.
The sources consulted on condition of anonymity said that the CIA report cited Delcy Rodríguez and two other important figures in the Venezuelan regime as possible interim rulers capable of maintaining internal order. Although the names of these other figures were not mentioned, the two main power brokers allied with Maduro who remain in spheres of influence in Venezuela are the Minister of the Interior, Diosdado Cabello, and the Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López.
