Venezuela faces a major shake-up in its top security ranks as interim president Delcy Rodríguez removes Javier Marcano Tábata, the general in charge of the presidential honour guard.
The decision comes in the wake of a high-profile US raid in Caracas that captured Nicolás Maduro and transported him to New York to face narco-terrorism charges. The presidential guard, tasked with protecting the head of state, reportedly suffered heavy casualties during the operation.
Rodríguez, who was sworn in by a National Assembly dominated by government loyalists, previously served as Maduro’s vice-president and is viewed as one of his closest allies.
Her first major act as interim leader has been the replacement of Gen Marcano Tábata, signaling a reorganization of key positions within her inner circle.
Following the seizure, US President Donald Trump said his administration would “run” Venezuela and warned that Rodríguez would face a “fate worse than Maduro’s” if she failed to comply with US demands, including control over the nation’s vast oil reserves.
He later added that up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil could be “turned over” to the US, although Rodríguez’s government has not responded to the claim.
Since taking office, Rodríguez has balanced defiance with a willingness to cooperate. She condemned Maduro’s capture as an “illegal kidnapping” but also said her administration had “invited the US government to work together on an agenda of co-operation.”
Observers inside and outside Venezuela are closely watching her moves to see whether she will steer the country toward reconciliation or confrontation, and whether cracks might appear in her government.
Gen Marcano Tábata’s dismissal marks one of the first major changes to senior leadership under Rodríguez. He had also headed Venezuela’s military counterintelligence unit, DGCIM, which a UN fact-finding mission linked to human rights abuses, including torture, sexual violence, and cruel treatment of detainees since 2013.
The general’s removal appears linked to the presidential guard’s failure to prevent Maduro’s capture rather than his record with the DGCIM. His replacement, Gustavo González López, previously led the national intelligence service Sebin, which manages the infamous Helicoide prison in Caracas. Sebin has been accused of mistreating opposition figures, journalists, and human rights defenders.
Analysts suggest the leadership change is meant to ensure Rodríguez surrounds herself with loyal officials at a time when threats of further US action remain.
Cuba, a longtime ally of Venezuela, reported that 32 of its nationals, many embedded in the presidential guard, died in the US operation.
Venezuela’s military confirmed that 23 of its members, including five generals, were killed, leading to claims of humiliation over the ease with which US forces overcame the country’s defence systems.
Rodríguez’s move to replace Gen Marcano Tábata may also be a strategy to strengthen her grip on power amid external pressure. Trump has hinted that additional strikes could occur if Venezuela does not comply, while other hardline figures in the interim government, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, could face US targeting.
Cabello has long been accused of participating in a “narco-conspiracy,” with a $25 million reward offered for information leading to his capture.
