The United States is pressuring the interim government of Venezuela to expel official advisors and security personnel linked to China, Cuba, Iran, and Russia, as part of the demands from President Donald Trump’s administration following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
A report from The New York Times indicates that Secretary of State Marco Rubio presented these demands to Rodríguez during a classified meeting held on Monday with senior Congressional leaders at the Capitol.
According to sources linked to the matter, Washington is seeking the expulsion of spies and military personnel from the four countries allied with chavismo, although some diplomats may remain in Venezuela.
U.S. authorities believe that the presence of these advisors poses a threat to regional security and to American interests in the South American country, where 32 Cuban military personnel died during the capture of Maduro.
During that operation, Delta Force commandos confronted Cuban security forces protecting the leader at a military complex in Caracas.
According to these versions, Maduro allegedly turned to Cuban forces as personal bodyguards instead of relying on the Venezuelan armed forces, which he deemed to be less loyal.
In addition to the expulsion of foreign advisors, Rubio is said to have conveyed to Rodríguez Washington's interest in having Venezuela reopen oil trade with the United States, a demand that Trump himself has publicly raised.
Since her assumption as interim president, Rodríguez has tried to defend Venezuelan sovereignty while maintaining a conciliatory tone towards Washington.
Analysts point out that he faces a delicate balance: preserving his political future without antagonizing the United States, in a context marked by the presence of the U.S. Navy off the Venezuelan coast and direct warnings from Trump.
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