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The Trump administration has warned the powerful Venezuelan leader Diosdado Cabello that he could become the next target of Washington if he does not cooperate with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and with the demands of the United States following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, according to an exclusive report by Reuters.
Cabello, the Minister of the Interior and regarded as the strongman of the Venezuelan security apparatus, oversees forces accused of serious human rights violations and maintains a longstanding rivalry with Rodríguez.
Sources cited by the outlet claim that Washington is seeking to force its cooperation to prevent a power vacuum or a potential destabilization in Caracas.
According to three officials consulted, the U.S. has sent Cabello a direct message through intermediaries: if he defies Washington's orders or attempts to undermine the transition, he could meet the same fate as Maduro, who was captured during the U.S. military operation in Caracas and taken to New York to face charges of narcoterrorism.
However, security sources warned that a direct action against Cabello would be risky, as it could provoke a violent reaction from the armed collectives loyal to Chavismo, a scenario that Washington wants to avoid.
Among the other potential targets of the U.S. is the Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino López, who is also accused of drug trafficking and has a substantial reward on his head.
According to Reuters, Washington believes that Padrino is less dogmatic and more willing to negotiate his departure, making him key to maintaining control of the Armed Forces during the transition.
Sources from the Department of Justice stated that the operation in Venezuela "is not over yet" and that the U.S. is seeking "maximum cooperation" from remaining figures of the regime to ensure security, reactivate oil production under favorable conditions for U.S. companies, and expel Cuban and Iranian advisors from the country.
Meanwhile, Washington sees Delcy Rodríguez as a central figure in the post-Maduro transition, although it continues to assess how to move towards elections and a possible negotiated exit for key Chavista leaders, including Cabello.
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