U.S. Warns Venezuela’s Security Chief as Rodríguez Overhauls Presidential Guard, Taps Sanctioned Ex-SEBIN Director

Washington signals pressure on hardline figures as interim leader Delcy Rodríguez dismisses Maduro’s security detail and appoints a sanctioned former intelligence chief.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

The Trump administration is escalating pressure on Venezuela’s powerful interior minister Diosdado Cabello, warning through intermediaries that he could face removal unless he cooperates during the country’s fragile political transition, according to a Reuters report.

Reuters cited a source briefed on U.S. deliberations who said Cabello—long accused by human rights groups of overseeing abusive security forces—has been identified by President Donald Trump as one of a small group of loyalists the administration may temporarily rely on to maintain order as Venezuela moves away from the rule of former leader Nicolás Maduro. U.S. officials, the source said, are simultaneously seeking to force Cabello’s cooperation while looking for ways to ultimately push him out of power and into exile.

The report added that any direct move against Cabello could carry risks, potentially provoking pro-government motorcycle groups known as colectivos to take to the streets, creating instability Washington wants to avoid. Their reaction, Reuters noted, may hinge on whether other senior officials are perceived as offering protection.

As pressure mounts, interim President Delcy Rodríguez has moved swiftly to consolidate control over the presidential security apparatus. According to a Telegram post from Tupy Report, Rodríguez dismissed the entire security detail that had protected Maduro, citing suspicions that some members stood down or leaked information during the former leader’s capture and extraction. The post said unverified sources reported arrests of military personnel suspected of sharing intelligence with the U.S. government in August 2025.

Rodríguez’s choice to replace the security leadership has drawn sharp scrutiny. This week, she appointed Gustavo Enrique González López, a former head of Venezuela’s Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), as commander of the Presidential Honor Guard, according to reporting by The New York Post citing Univision Noticias.

González López previously led SEBIN, an agency condemned by human rights organizations and the United Nations for arbitrary detention, torture, and other abuses. He has been sanctioned by multiple governments, including the United States, Canada, Panama, Switzerland, and the European Union. A 2018 U.N. report found that officials under his authority committed acts of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, including sexual violence, at the El Helicoide detention center.

The reshuffling underscores the uncertainty surrounding Venezuela’s interim leadership and the competing pressures facing Rodríguez as she attempts to stabilize the government while navigating demands from Washington and entrenched figures within the country’s security establishment.