Trump administration warns Venezuelan interior minister to cooperate or become potential target, agency says

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello attends the inauguration ceremony of Vice President Delcy Rodriguez as interim president of Venezuela at the National Assembly, after the United States launched an attack on the country and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas, Venezuela. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo The administration of US President Donald Trump has warned Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello that he could be at the top of the US target list if he does not cooperate with interim President Delcy Rodriguez to meet US demands. The information was released by the news agency Reuters, this Tuesday (6). 📱Download the g1 app to see news in real time and for free According to one of the internal sources, Cabello, who controls security forces accused of serious human rights violations, is one of the few Maduro allies that Trump has decided to rely on to maintain stability during a period of transition. US officials are especially concerned that Cabello, given her history of repression and her rivalry with Rodriguez, could act as a destabilizing element. Therefore, they seek to force his cooperation, while at the same time evaluating ways to eventually remove him from power and take him into exile, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. According to Reuters, emissaries from the United States told Cabello that a confrontational stance could lead to him suffering the same fate as Maduro, captured in an American operation and taken to New York to face charges of “narcoterrorism”. Sources claim that the message even included warnings about risks to his personal safety. Delcy Rodriguez says that American military action is illegitimate, upon taking office as president of Venezuela. Despite this, members of the American government believe that direct action against Cabello could generate instability. He maintains influence over pro-government groups known as “colectivos”, which could react with violence in the streets, a scenario that Washington tries to avoid. Another name cited as a possible target is Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, also accused by the US of involvement in drug trafficking and the target of a million-dollar reward. For American authorities, however, Padrino’s cooperation is considered essential to avoid a power vacuum, as he commands the Armed Forces. “This remains a law enforcement operation, and we are not done yet,” a US Justice Department official told Reuters. READ MORE Venezuela agrees to send up to 50 million barrels of oil to the US, says Trump After capture, Trump government backs down on accusation that Maduro headed drug cartel

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