The Trump administration is putting pressure on top Venezuelan officials to cooperate with Interim President Delcy Rodriguez after the removal of Nicolas Maduro. Diosdado Cabello, Maduro’s interior minister, is one of the main figures targeted. Cabello controls security forces accused of human rights abuses, and U.S. officials are worried he could resist Washington’s plans.
Sources say the U.S. has warned Cabello that defiance could put him at risk, similar to Maduro, who was captured in a U.S. raid and taken to New York on narco-terrorism charges. At the same time, U.S. officials are aware that removing Cabello too quickly could spark unrest from pro-government groups known as colectivos.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino is also under scrutiny. Like Cabello, he is wanted under U.S. indictments and has a large bounty. Officials view him as key to maintaining control over the military during the transition and think he may be more likely to cooperate while securing his own safe exit.
The U.S. strategy focuses on leveraging Maduro loyalists temporarily rather than relying on Venezuela’s opposition, led by Maria Corina Machado, which the administration believes cannot maintain order. The plan aims to stabilize the country enough to allow U.S. companies access to Venezuela’s oil reserves without putting U.S. forces on the ground.
Trump’s advisers see Rodriguez as the central figure in this strategy. They believe she is more likely to work with the U.S. on oil, narcotics, and security matters. Officials have also pressured other senior and mid-level officials to cooperate, with the goal of creating a government that aligns with U.S. interests.
The U.S. has demanded that Venezuelan leaders show progress on several fronts within weeks, including opening the oil industry to U.S. companies, cracking down on drug trafficking, removing Cuban security personnel, and ending cooperation with Iran. Washington has also considered using financial leverage against Rodriguez, though Qatari officials deny she holds assets there.
Cabello and Rodriguez have historically had a tense relationship, and it remains uncertain how unified Maduro’s former loyalists will remain. Cabello wields significant influence over the military and intelligence agencies, which have been involved in widespread repression. The United Nations has documented crimes against humanity committed by these agencies.
For now, the U.S. is relying on a mix of pressure, leverage, and co-opting key officials to manage Venezuela during the transition and advance its strategic and economic goals.