Venezuela faces deep uncertainty over who is really in charge after U.S. forces seized President Nicolas Maduro and flew him out of the country, even though Washington says Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has been named acting leader. Venezuela’s top court has said the constitution makes Rodríguez interim president in Maduro’s absence, but she quickly appeared on state TV with powerful regime figures to insist Maduro remains the only president, signalling that his inner circle is still united.
For more than a decade, real power in Venezuela has rested with a small group of senior civilian and military officials who control security forces, state institutions and major economic sectors. Analysts say this patronage network, built on loyalty, corruption and surveillance, is harder to dismantle than simply removing Maduro, because dozens of key players would need to be sidelined before genuine change can occur.
Within this structure, Delcy Rodríguez and her brother Jorge lead the civilian wing, while powerful figures like Diosdado Cabello and Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino López dominate the military side. Cabello, who has strong influence over intelligence services and pro government militias, is seen by experts as one of the most ideological and unpredictable members of the regime, and remains central to any future shift in power.
Human rights investigators, including the United Nations, have accused Venezuela’s intelligence agencies of committing crimes against humanity as part of a broad strategy to crush dissent. Former detainees describe torture, including electric shocks, simulated drowning and sexual violence, at military detention centres run by the DGCIM, saying the system is designed to make people feel powerless and constantly watched.
The armed forces, where senior and mid ranking officers control food distribution, raw materials and state oil firm PDVSA, are also deeply embedded in the regime’s survival. Documents seen by opposition advisers show that commanders close to Cabello and Padrino hold key posts near borders and industrial hubs, giving them control over smuggling routes and illicit business as well as troop movements.
Lawyers and analysts estimate that between 20 and 50 senior officers and officials would likely need to be removed or persuaded to defect to dismantle the current system. Some generals and former officials have reportedly made contact with U.S. authorities since Maduro’s capture, seeking safe passage and legal protections in exchange for intelligence, but Cabello is said to have little interest in any deal for now.
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