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Reuters reported:
“Diosdado Cabello, who controls security forces accused of widespread human rights abuses, is one of a handful of Maduro loyalists that President Donald Trump has decided to rely on as temporary rulers to maintain stability during a transition period, said one source briefed on the administration’s thinking.
U.S. officials are especially concerned that Cabello, given his record of repression and history of rivalry with Rodríguez, could play the spoiler and are seeking to force his cooperation even as they look for ways to eventually push him out of power and into exile, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.”
According to sources familiar with the situation, Cabello has been warned through intermediaries that refusing to cooperate could land him the same fate as Nicolás Maduro, who was captured and removed in a dramatic operation that sent shockwaves through the region. However, Washington appears to be walking a fine line, aware that a heavy-handed move against Cabello could backfire.
“But taking out Cabello could be risky, possibly motivating pro-government motorcycle groups, known as colectivos, to take to the streets, unleashing the chaos Washington wants to avoid. Their reaction may depend on whether they feel protected by other officials, however.”
As international pressure mounts, Rodríguez has reportedly begun purging Venezuela’s security services of individuals suspected of disloyalty during Maduro’s removal. The crackdown appears aimed at eliminating internal threats before they can destabilize her already tenuous hold on power.
Tupy Report on Telegram stated:
“Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, dismissed Nicolás Maduro’s entire security circle on suspicion of betrayal by specific members. Unverified sources report the arrests of some military personnel who may have passed information to the US government in August 2025.”
While Rodríguez’s sweeping dismissals sent a clear message to remaining power players, her next move stunned even seasoned observers. In a decision that has reignited concerns about human rights abuses, Rodríguez appointed one of the most notorious figures from Maduro’s inner circle to oversee her personal security.
Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez has appointed deposed dictator Nicolás Maduro’s former torture czar as her security chief as questions about the tenure of her leadership in the embattled South American nation linger.
The New York Post reported:
“Rodríguez named General Gustavo Enrique González López, 66, as commander of the Presidential Honor Guard on Tuesday, according to a report by Univision Noticias.
Under Maduro’s despotic regime, González López headed up the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), notorious thugs who have been condemned by human rights groups and the UN as a repressive, gestapo-like secret police.”
González López is no fringe figure. He has been sanctioned by the United States, Canada, Panama, Switzerland, and the European Union for his role in systemic human rights abuses carried out under Maduro’s rule. His return to a position of power has alarmed international watchdogs and raised questions about Rodríguez’s true intentions.
“‘During the times he has served as SEBIN director, officials under his ultimate authority committed acts of arbitrary detention, torture and cruel and inhuman treatment, including sexual violence, in El Helicoide detention center’, a 2018 UN report on sanctions enacted against González López reads in part.
‘As General Director of SEBIN, he is responsible for serious human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, inhuman and degrading treatment, and torture, and the repression of civil society and the democratic opposition in Venezuela’.”
For many observers, Rodríguez’s decision signals continuity rather than reform. While she publicly distances herself from Maduro, her reliance on sanctioned enforcers suggests that Venezuela’s security state remains firmly intact. As Washington weighs its next move, the question remains whether this fragile transition will bring stability—or plunge the country into yet another chapter of chaos.
