CARACAS, Venezuela, January 9 — With Nicolás Maduro in U.S. custody, Washington’s immediate challenge in Venezuela is a man long described as the regime’s powerful enforcer: Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello. Named directly beneath Maduro in a sweeping U.S. indictment and now controlling the country’s internal security forces, Cabello stands at the centre of a precarious struggle between maintaining order and confronting American power.
Who is Diosdado Cabello?
A 62-year-old former army officer, Cabello is one of the last surviving pillars of Hugo Chávez’s original inner circle. He participated in Chávez’s 1992 coup attempt and helped build the political movement that reshaped Venezuela. His career includes briefly serving as president during the 2002 coup against Chávez and holding some of the state’s most powerful posts. Since 2024, as interior minister, he has commanded the police, intelligence agencies, and armed civilian groups known as colectivos.
Why Does He Matter Now?
With Maduro gone, Cabello has emerged as the most powerful Venezuelan figure still on the ground. He controls the coercive instruments of the state, which the U.S. now needs to prevent chaos but ultimately wants to dismantle. In the hours after Maduro’s capture, Cabello urged calm and loyalty to the country’s leadership, while U.S. officials unsealed a superseding indictment where his name appeared directly beneath Maduro’s.
What is the U.S. Dilemma with Cabello?
According to a Reuters report, the Trump administration has privately warned Cabello that defiance could lead him to share Maduro’s fate. Yet, Washington’s stated transition plan—outlined by officials like Secretary of State Marco Rubio—relies on a period of stability. This paradox means the U.S. currently depends on Cabello to keep order, even as it seeks ways to sideline him long-term. Officials fear his hardline ideology and control over security forces could sabotage any transition.
- Cabello has been under U.S. sanctions since 2018.
- He faces a U.S. indictment on drug trafficking charges with a $25 million bounty.
- He denies all allegations, calling them a pretext to target Venezuela’s oil.
How Has Cabello Responded?
Cabello has projected strength and control. State-aligned social media shows him inspecting armed units and patrolling streets, declaring Caracas “calm and tranquil.” The colectivos under his influence have been deployed to man checkpoints, a visible show of force meant to deter dissent and signal that the regime’s infrastructure remains intact despite Maduro’s arrest.
FAQ: The Cabello Factor
Q: What is Diosdado Cabello’s official role?
A: He holds Venezuela’s Interior Minister post, controlling national police, intelligence bodies, and armed civilian colectivo groups.
Q: Why is the U.S. focused on him after Maduro?
A: He is considered the most powerful Chavista figure still in Venezuela, wielding direct control over security forces critical to any transition, yet he is also a indicted alleged criminal in U.S. courts.
Q: What do human rights groups say about him?
A: Organizations like a UN fact-finding mission have accused him of overseeing systematic repression, including arbitrary arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings.
Q: Is the U.S. working with him?
A: The current U.S. strategy requires a period of stability, which inadvertently relies on Cabello maintaining order, even as Washington warns him and seeks his eventual removal.
