The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, explained why American forces did not capture Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López or Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello during the operation in which Nicolás Maduro and his wife were arrested, despite both officials continuing to be identified by Washington as key figures in the power structure of chavismo.
The explanation emerged during an interview given in Miami to the CBS network, when the journalist questioned why, if Washington claims to be dismantling a narcoterrorist regime, it released two high-ranking officials charged by the U.S. justice system and with million-dollar rewards for their capture.
Rubio responded that the doubt stemmed from an incorrect premise and defended the decision as a strictly operational matter.
According to the head of U.S. diplomacy, the capture of Maduro has already represented one of the most complex and risky missions undertaken by the United States in recent years.
He recalled that the former president lived inside the largest military base in the country and that the operation involved helicopter landings, a quick incursion, the capture of the target, and exit from the territory without any American casualties, all within a matter of minutes.
Rubio described the idea of carrying out simultaneous captures in different parts of the country as “absurd,” arguing that it would have meant prolonging the operation for several days, exponentially increasing military risk, and provoking an even greater international reaction.
"Are you going to go and capture five people at the same time?" questioned the secretary, emphasizing that Maduro was the top priority for presenting himself as the president of Venezuela.
The official made it clear that the decision does not mean that Padrino López and Diosdado Cabello are no longer wanted by the United States. On the contrary, he insisted that the central objective of the operation was to neutralize the main symbol of illegitimate power in Venezuela and to carry out a mission that he already described as "bold, sophisticated, and extremely complicated."
Rubio's statements come amid a new political landscape in Venezuela, following Maduro's arrest and while Washington assesses its relationship with the authorities now in control of the country.
The Secretary of State emphasized that the United States will continue to push to protect its national interests, combat drug trafficking, and reduce the influence of actors like Iran and Cuba in the South American country.
Although he avoided providing details about ongoing diplomatic negotiations, Rubio emphasized that any future interlocutor will be assessed based on their actions rather than public promises, and warned that if no real changes occur, Washington will maintain various forms of pressure, including restrictions in the oil sector.
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