A leaked audio attributed to Delcy Rodríguez, a key figure in Chavismo and the current interim leader of the Venezuelan regime, reveals alleged direct threats from the United States against high-ranking government officials following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
In the recording, initially circulated by the journalistic collective La Hora de Venezuela and cited by international media, Rodríguez claims that U.S. officials gave her, Diosdado Cabello, and Jorge Rodríguez 15 minutes to decide whether to cooperate with Washington or, otherwise, they would be killed.
“They told us that Maduro was not kidnapped, but dead,” Rodríguez is heard saying in the audio, recorded during a private meeting with communicators and influencers aligned with the regime, just a week after the U.S. military operation.
In the nearly two-hour-long material, the chavista leader asserts that they never imagined an attack of such magnitude.
"Attacking the capital and bombing it is not part of our history. We never thought they would dare to go this far," he asserts, while claiming that they were facing a "nuclear threat."
Rodríguez assured that the blackmail and threats from the U.S. are constant, and he also acknowledges that, in light of this scenario, his priorities have been to "preserve the peace of Venezuela," "bring Maduro back," and explicitly, "preserve political power."
“We are cautious in every step and strategy considering them,” he adds, referring to Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The audio provides a rare insight into the internal tensions of chavismo following the fall of its main figure, as well as the regime's efforts to control the public narrative and prevent internal divisions.
In the recording, the then Minister of Communication, Freddy Ñáñez, asks those present to unite and stop rumors that could portray Rodríguez as a traitor.
Neither the government of Venezuela nor that of the United States has officially confirmed the threats described in the audio. In fact, Rodríguez has not publicly reiterated that accusation, and this week officials in Washington indicated that the leader may travel to the U.S. capital soon.
Analysts believe that Rodríguez's narrative could be part of a strategy to keep the Chavista base cohesive, in a context where it is assumed that Maduro's capture could only have occurred with some degree of internal collaboration.
Since the fall of the former president, the regime has maintained a public rhetoric of confrontation with the U.S., while in practice it has complied with the demands of the Trump Administration, a contradiction that, according to experts, reveals a struggle to buy time and retain power.
Filed under: