‘The real ringleader’: the Venezuelan security chief with a $25m bounty on his head
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Diosdado Cabello, nicknamed "the Octopus," is a powerful Venezuelan government figure controlling the regime’s security apparatus, police, and prisons, with influence rivaling that of interim president Delcy Rodríguez.
- Following the US raid that abducted President Nicolás Maduro, Cabello's authority is questioned, with reports suggesting the US has warned he could be next unless he complies with their demands.
- Cabello's failure to protect Maduro has weakened his position, leading some analysts and exiled officials to believe he may have to align with the US-backed faction led by Rodríguez.
- Despite his diminished power, Cabello remains a key figure in Venezuela’s ruling socialist party and state enterprises, maintaining a delicate balance between intimidation of opponents and avoiding
