Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s Interior Minister, Faces Uneasy Transition

Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela’s interior minister and a long-time ally of Nicolás Maduro, is facing an uneasy transition after a U.S. law enforcement operation that seized Mr. Maduro and an indictment that also names Mr. Cabello, who is the subject of a U.S. bounty. U.S. prosecutors have accused Mr.

Cabello of drug trafficking and offered a $25 million payment for information leading to his detention, and the United Nations and human rights groups have cited him in serious abuses. Domestically he remains powerful: he hosts the long-running program Con el Mazo Dando, controls security services and pro-government colectivos, and in late 2024 helped install a cousin to run the SEBIN intelligence service.

Mr. Cabello’s influence has been linked to arrests and repression. The article cites the arrest and imprisonment of opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa after Mr. Cabello named him on his show, and notes that after the contested July 2024 election Mr. Maduro appointed Mr. Cabello interior minister and announced “Operation Knock Knock,” with the government saying it arrested more than 2,000 people for protesting results.

Despite public support for interim leader Delcy Rodríguez and appearances at her side, Mr. Cabello’s position poses a challenge: Ms. Rodríguez needs to placate the United States while relying on Mr.

Key Topics

World, Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, Delcy Rodriguez, Sebin