New Leader of Venezuela Under White House Control Carried Out Purges in Power After Maduro's Overthrow

Delcy Rodríguez. Photo: Jesus Vargas / Getty Images

As The New York Times writes in its investigation, Venezuela has begun its largest redistribution of power in decades.

But this process has nothing to do with democratization. On the contrary, Maduro's former associate, who until recently delivered fiery anti-imperialist speeches, has now become a partner of the Trump administration and is methodically eliminating those who just yesterday kept her regime afloat.

Dismantling Maduro's Legacy

Maduro was taken to a New York prison publicly and with demonstrative harshness. His associates, however, are being removed gradually and without much fanfare.

Over the past three months, Delcy Rodríguez has replaced 17 ministers, changed military leadership, and appointed new diplomats. Under her leadership, at least three oligarchs closely linked to Maduro's family have been arrested, and most of his relatives have been removed from oil contracts and denied access to state media.

In their place, Rodríguez appoints her own loyalists or supports businessmen who owe their success personally to her. At the same time, she has widely opened the doors for American investors in the oil and mining industries.

The Venezuelan opposition claims that instead of returning to democracy, Rodríguez is simply consolidating her own power. And she is doing this not so much of her own volition, but under external pressure.

Governing Under Duress

Several high-ranking Venezuelan officials, in conversation with The New York Times, compared Delcy Rodríguez's governance to "working with a gun to her head." After Maduro's demonstrative capture, the White House repeatedly threatened Caracas with a new invasion if the new leaders refused to cooperate.

Now Rodríguez is using this threat as a tool to deal with internal rivals who were previously considered untouchable. This has proven to be a win-win combination for both sides: the Trump administration settles scores with enemies who challenged it for years, while Rodríguez solidifies her power by getting rid of the old guard.

The White House does not hide its satisfaction. "'We are cooperating excellently with President Delcy Rodríguez,' stated press secretary Anna Kelly. 'Oil is starting to flow, and large sums of money, which haven't been seen in many years, will soon begin to greatly help the people of Venezuela.'"

Venezuela's transformation from a chief enemy of the U.S. into a protectorate happened so rapidly that most Venezuelans still cannot believe it. Polls show that most welcome the end of Maduro's 13-year dictatorship but view Rodríguez herself, who never held elected office, with similar suspicion. For the inner circle of the overthrown president, times of fear and uncertainty have arrived. Some of Maduro's former associates have already come under surveillance by special services, others try to avoid appearing in the capital and are considering fleeing the country.

New Masters and Old Enemies

Among those who lost out from Maduro's fall are not only his relatives and oligarchs, but also hardened Chavistas — veterans of the socialist movement created by Hugo Chávez in the 1990s.

One of the few who dared to publicly criticize Rodríguez was propagandist Mario Silva. His state television program was shut down, and he himself is now forced to broadcast on marginal radio frequencies.

"'Damn, keep following the gringos' orders, come on!' Silva fumed on air. 'Just lie down before them and get it over with.'"

Maduro's inner circle is rife with rumors of betrayal. The ease with which the Americans abducted the president from a well-guarded military base gave rise to suspicions that he was simply "sold out" by those who benefited from his fall. Although there is no direct evidence of Rodríguez's involvement in a conspiracy, the fact that the Trump administration had considered her as a successor since 2025 and had indirect contacts with her only fuels these suspicions.

The purge began almost immediately after the seizure of power. Maduro's closest minister, General Vladimir Padrino López, was dismissed from his post as Minister of Defense. Maduro's son and stepson were removed from oil deals. Attorney General Tarek William Saab was fired twice.

The first victim from the business elite was Colombian oligarch Alex Saab, who earned billions on food and oil contracts with the regime. His fate, including potential extradition to the U.S., is now being decided in negotiations between Rodríguez and Washington. A similar fate befell other businessmen close to the Maduro family — Raúl Gorrín and Wilmer Ruperti.

The Unsinkable Diosdado Cabello

However, there is one person whom the purges bypassed. This is Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who effectively controlled the entire repressive apparatus of the ruling party.

He is wanted in the U.S. on drug trafficking charges and has repeatedly clashed with Rodríguez in the past. But his ties to armed pro-government groups make him both a valuable ally and a dangerous target.

Cabello made his choice. Instead of challenging the new power, he quickly rebranded himself from a "party bulldog" to a "patriotic guarantor of stability." At one rally, he publicly called to "accompany our sister Delcy" and "fully trust the abilities, diligence, and integrity of comrade Delcy."

Such adaptation bore fruit. His relatives retained their positions heading special services and the tax authority, and his daughter even became the new Minister of Tourism.

Most other officials, however, simply discarded their declared anti-imperialism into the dustbin of history for a chance to remain in power.

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