Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello has accused the Trump administration of “kidnapping” 78 Venezuelan children, alleging they were separated from their parents and remain in U.S. custody after deportations. Cabello presented photographs of the children in U.S. “immigrant detention centers” and framed their detentions as evidence of hypocrisy in U.S. migration policy. These accusations come amid rising tensions and the reestablishment of limited cooperation on deportation flights between Caracas and Washington, which has resulted in over 12,000 Venezuelans being deported since January. Cabello has criticized the U.S. for separating families while simultaneously promoting false aspirations through “media campaigns.”
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Following a U.S. military strike in the Caribbean, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello condemned the action, refuting President Trump’s claim that those killed were “narcoterrorists.” Questions about the legality of the strike have emerged, particularly after reports that the vessel was turning back before it was attacked. The incident highlights the potential for escalating tensions, given increased U.S. military deployments near Venezuela as part of anti-drug operations, which Caracas views as a threat to its sovereignty. The U.S. has defended its actions, while lawmakers and analysts have raised concerns about the lack of justification and the potential for further destabilization in the region.
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Nicolás Maduro’s inauguration on Friday marks a significant escalation of authoritarianism in Venezuela, following a widely disputed 2024 election widely believed to have been stolen from Edmundo González. Despite González’s vow to return and challenge Maduro, the regime, led by Diosdado Cabello, has vowed to arrest him and quell any dissent with a major security force deployment. Experts characterize the regime’s actions as a transition from electoral authoritarianism to a closed, hegemonic dictatorship, marked by a brutal crackdown on the opposition and widespread human rights abuses. While the opposition plans large-scale protests and hopes for a military uprising, analysts remain skeptical of Maduro’s imminent removal from power given his regime’s resilience to past challenges.
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John Q. Hosedrinker