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Maduro’s heirs: human rights violators, corrupt enforcers and ruthless loyalists
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As the Trump administration escalates pressure on Venezuela, experts warn that Nicolás Maduro’s downfall could open the door to a successor «even worse» than the dictator himself and unleash a landscape dominated by drug cartels, guerrilla factions and armed warlords who have embedded themselves across Venezuela for decades.
Venezuela today is less a centralized dictatorship and more a patchwork of criminal territories controlled by cartels, Colombian insurgents and regime-aligned militias. Analysts told Fox News Digital that U.S. policy now confronts not only Maduro but an entrenched ecosystem of non-state armed groups that could seize power in a post-Maduro vacuum.
Roxanna Vigil, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and former U.S. national security official focused on Latin America, said the trajectory is now binary.
PUTIN DOUBLES DOWN ON BACKING MADURO AMID MOUNTING US PRESSURE ON VENEZUELA
Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro brandishes a sword during an event at the military academy in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Ariana Cubillos/AP Photo)
«The way I see it, what comes next will largely depend on what direction this U.S. pressure campaign goes in,» Vigil said. «If it goes in the direction of escalation and conflict, that means there’s going to be very little control — or even less ability to influence what comes next.»
The danger, experts say, is not simply a stronger version of Maduro but the rise of armed actors who already control swaths of Venezuelan territory. Vigil said that an uncontrolled collapse could unleash something far more dangerous than the current regime. «You could have someone potentially worse than Maduro,» she said.
Jason Marczak, vice president and senior director at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, told Fox News Digital those power centers include some of the most violent criminal syndicates in the Western Hemisphere.
Bolivarian National Police fire tear gas toward opposition demonstrators in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014. Venezuelan security forces backed by water tanks and tear gas dispersed groups of anti-government demonstrators who tried to block Caracas' main highway Saturday evening. (AP Photo/Alejandro Cegarra)
«It’s hard to imagine things getting any worse than they are under Nicolás Maduro. But what’s critical is not just Maduro leaving, but those around him — those who will only be further perpetrators of the injustices that Maduro puts forward — that none of them are allowed to just come to power.»
If either opposition leader María Corina Machado or Edmundo González fail to fill the vacuum in a post-Maduro Venezuela, experts point to a crowded field of dangerous actors who could attempt to seize power if Maduro suddenly falls.
RETIRED GENERAL HAILS TRUMP’S ‘HOLISTIC’ CRACKDOWN ON VENEZUELAN DRUG TRAFFICKING AS SHOWDOWN ESCALATES
Diosdado Cabello
Diosdado Cabello emerges as the most feared and influential figure in the regime. La Nación describes him as the longtime number two of Chavismo, with sweeping control over party machinery and the propaganda apparatus. His power stretches from internal political enforcement to the interior and justice portfolios.
Cabello was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2018 for corruption, money laundering, embezzlement and links to drug-trafficking networks inside the state. Reuters reporting documented how the United States later increased rewards for information leading to his arrest as part of broader efforts to target the Cartel de los Soles. Analysts say a government headed by Cabello could consolidate party power, state security forces and media control under a single hardline operator.
Minister of Interior and Justice Diosdado Cabello (C) talks to the President of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez (L) as Vice President of the Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez (R) looks on at Simon Bolivar International Airport on July 18, 2025, in Caracas, Venezuela. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
Jorge Rodríguez
Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly and one of Maduro’s closest political operators, is another senior figure positioned for any succession scenario. La Nación highlights his prominence inside the ruling elite, noting his roles as mayor, communications minister, and key strategist.
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Rodríguez for actions that undermine democratic institutions, according to an Atlantic Council summary of OFAC designations. Experts caution that Rodríguez could impose a more technocratic — but no less authoritarian — version of Chavismo, pairing negotiation skills with control over electoral processes and state information systems.
Vladimir Padrino López
Vladimir Padrino López, Venezuela’s long-serving defense minister, is portrayed by La Nación as the backbone of the military establishment and the guarantor of Maduro’s survival. The armed forces remain loyal because of him, forming an axis of power between Padrino and Maduro.
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Padrino López as part of Maduro’s inner circle for sustaining an authoritarian system and enabling repression. Observers warn that if Padrino were to assume leadership, Venezuela could shift toward an even more militarized model — one in which political authority is openly fused with military command structures.
Vladimir Padrino Lopez, Venezuela’s defense minister, speaks during a press conference accompanied by the military high command at the Ministry of Defense in Caracas, Venezuela, on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019. (Carlos Becerra/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Delcy Rodríguez
Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s vice president, is described as a central political operator within the regime and part of a powerful governing duo with her brother Jorge. Her influence spans institutional, economic and diplomatic spheres. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Rodríguez as part of Maduro’s inner circle for helping dismantle democratic governance, and the European Union lists her under measures for human rights violations and the erosion of the rule of law.
Analysts note that Rodríguez has increasingly taken control of critical sectors, including the oil industry, placing her at the center of the opaque revenue structures that sustain the regime. A transition led by her, they warn, could tighten state control over the economy and political apparatus even further.
Cilia Flores, wife of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, talks to the media during a simulation of the government’s official July 30 vote for a new assembly, in Caracas, Venezuela July 16, 2017. Marco Bello/ Reuters
Cilia Flores
Cilia Flores, the first lady and a longtime Chavista power broker, rounds out the circle of figures identified by La Nación as essential to Maduro’s hold on power. Flores has held senior positions, including National Assembly president, attorney general, and member of the PSUV leadership.
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Flores in 2018 as part of broader actions targeting Maduro’s inner circle and their networks of corruption, a move widely reported by Reuters. Her family members have also faced sanctions or indictments linked to narcotics cases. Analysts say Flores’s political reach and influence inside the party and the legal system make her a pivotal actor in any succession calculus.
In this April 13, 2019, file photo, Gen. Ivan Hernandez Dala, (L), head of both the presidential guard and military counterintelligence, and Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, (R), in Caracas, Venezuela. (Ariana Cubillos/AP)
Iván Hernández Dala
Hernández Dala heads Venezuela’s military counterintelligence service (DGCIM) and commands the presidential guard, making him one of the most feared figures in the security apparatus. His control over internal repression gives him significant leverage in any power struggle. He was designated by the State Department in 2019 for his involvement in gross violations of human rights.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) wrote that under his command «Abuses reportedly carried out by the DGCIM and SEBIN include brutal beatings, asphyxiation, cutting soles of feet with razor blades, electric shocks, and death threats.»
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Marczak and Vigil beieve Washington’s next moves — and whether they drive negotiation or escalation — will determine whether Venezuela moves toward democracy or toward something even worse.
As Marczak put it: «A win isn’t just Nicolás Maduro leaving… A win is actually a transition to democratic forces.»
venezuelan political crisis,donald trump,narco terror,conflicts,south america
INTERNACIONAL
Sen Mullin urges spring breakers to cancel trips to Mexico amid country’s violence: ‘No one should be going’
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Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., on Tuesday urged spring breakers with plans to visit Mexico to cancel their trips due to violent clashes in the country triggered by the Mexican army’s killing of cartel leader Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as «El Mencho,» earlier this week.
Mullin made the comments during an appearance on CNBC’s «Squawk Box,» in which he said his chiropractor was still planning to visit a popular tourist destination in Mexico.
«Anybody that’s planning on going to Mexico for spring break … I mean, my chiropractor called me yesterday and said he’s still planning on going to Cancún, I said, ‘Are you crazy?’» Mullin said.
«No one should be going down there right now, it is very volatile and the United States is laser-focused on watching what’s taking place,» he continued.
Sen. Markwayne Mullin urged spring breakers with plans to visit Mexico to cancel their trips. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
The senator’s comments come after Mexican troops conducted operations on Sunday in Tapalpa, Jalisco, targeting El Mencho, a former police officer who became the leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, which U.S. authorities have identified as a major supplier of fentanyl to the United States.
El Mencho carried a $15 million U.S. bounty and rose to power following the arrest of Joaquín «El Chapo» Guzmán, the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel. Over roughly the past 15 years, the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación has expanded from a regional criminal group into a global trafficking organization operating from its stronghold in Jalisco.
The Mexican Defense Department said the operation was conducted as part of bilateral coordination and cooperation with the U.S., and that U.S. authorities provided complementary intelligence that contributed to El Mencho’s killing.
After El Mencho’s death, cartel members burned cars and blocked roads in several Mexican states. Violent clashes were also reported in parts of western Mexico.
Mexican authorities later said that the security situation had been «stabilized.»
Vehicles drive past a burning bus used as a roadblock by organized crime following a federal operation in which a government source said Mexican drug lord El Mencho was killed, in Zapopan, Mexico. (Gabriel Trujillo/Reuters)
«The security situation has now stabilized following targeted operations in Jalisco,» the Mexican Embassy in the U.S. said on Tuesday.
«Federal and State authorities are proceeding to reopen transit corridors and restore public services smoothly,» the embassy continued. «Airline operations are normal, and international carriers are resuming flights today. Puerto Vallarta International Airport has reopened to domestic traffic.»
The embassy added: «If traveling through Jalisco, some local security measures remain in place, while authorities are restoring airport operations to full capacity. We are working with international partners to ensure safety and stability at all transit hubs and tourist destinations.»
But the U.S. State Department’s travel advisory for Mexico remains in effect. The U.S. government earlier issued a shelter-in-place order for Americans in Mexico, but that order has since been lifted.
STATE DEPT SLAMMED WITH HUNDREDS OF CALLS FROM AMERICANS TRAPPED IN MEXICO
A soldier stands guard by a charred vehicle after it was set on fire, in Cointzio, Michoacán state, Mexico. (AP Photo/Armando Solis)
The Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación is considered the most powerful cartel in Mexico with an estimated 19,000 members and operations across 21 of the country’s 32 states.
The Trump administration designated the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization.
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Mullin said on Tuesday that cartels splitting after Mexico’s operation is a «great opportunity for us, and Mexico, to take them all out.»
«Now, are we going to eliminate all the drug trafficking in the world? Absolutely not. But can we get a handle on it again? Absolutely,» he added.
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INTERNACIONAL
Japón denunció el arresto de un nipón en Teherán y exigió su liberación al régimen iraní
El Gobierno de Japón denunció este miércoles la detención de un ciudadano nipón en Teherán, capital de Irán, ocurrida a mediados de enero, y exigió “enérgicamente” a las autoridades de la República Islámica su liberación.
El subsecretario de gabinete, Masanao Ozaki, informó en rueda de prensa que el arresto tuvo lugar el 20 de enero, pero evitó dar detalles sobre las circunstancias o la identidad del detenido para proteger su integridad.
“Desde que se conoció el incidente de la detención, el Gobierno instó encarecidamente a la parte iraní a que lo libere lo antes posible. También estamos en contacto con el detenido, su familia y otras partes relacionadas, y le brindamos el apoyo necesario. Nos gustaría seguir brindando el máximo apoyo posible desde la perspectiva de la protección de los ciudadanos japoneses”, declaró Ozaki.
El funcionario respondió así a preguntas sobre las informaciones de Iran International, que señalaban que el detenido sería un periodista de NHK. La cadena pública japonesa se limitó a manifestar que “siempre priorizamos la seguridad de nuestro personal”. “No hay nada que podamos decir en este momento”, insistió.
Las declaraciones llegan un día después de que Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty afirmara que el jefe de la oficina de NHK en Irán, Shinnosuke Kawashima, fue arrestado en Teherán y transferido el lunes a la capitalina prisión de Evin, utilizada por Irán para recluir a presos políticos.
En la capital del país en plena crisis, estudiantes de varias universidades realizaron nuevas protestas el lunes pasado contra el régimen iraní, en la tercera jornada consecutiva de movilizaciones tras la represión que dejó miles de muertos en enero.
De acuerdo con testigos y videos verificados, las manifestaciones se llevaron a cabo en la Universidad de Sharif, la Universidad de Teherán y Al-Zahra, donde los jóvenes corearon consignas contra los ayatollahs, exhibieron banderas del antiguo monarca Reza Pahlavi y, en algunos casos, se enfrentaron con la fuerza paramilitar Basij.
En Al-Zahra, estudiantes y profesoras se congregaron para expresar su apoyo a la monarquía exiliada y reclamar derechos civiles y libertad política, gritando “¡Queremos recuperar Irán, basta de opresión!”. En el campus de Al-Zahra, los estudiantes intensificaron las protestas quemando banderas del régimen y mostrando pancartas en apoyo a la monarquía.
“Es nuestra responsabilidad levantar la voz, aunque nos amenacen con detenciones”, afirmó una estudiante que solicitó anonimato por razones de seguridad.
En la Universidad de Sharif, los alumnos se concentraron frente a la cafetería central ondeando una bandera con el emblema del león y el sol, mientras entonaban “Mujer, vida, libertad”, consigna presente en las protestas de 2022.
En la Universidad de Teherán, la protesta surgió durante un homenaje a un estudiante fallecido en las manifestaciones previas. Los asistentes corearon consignas contra el Líder Supremo, Ali Khamenei, y exigieron la caída del régimen. En esta ocasión, los guardias no intervinieron en la Universidad de Teherán, aunque se registraron enfrentamientos aislados en otros campus con miembros de la Basij que intentaron dispersar a los manifestantes.
La Agencia de Activistas de Derechos Humanos, con sede en Estados Unidos, informó que al menos 7.015 personas han fallecido, entre ellas 214 miembros de las fuerzas de seguridad. Por su parte, las autoridades iraníes reconocen 3.117 víctimas. Las restricciones en las comunicaciones dentro del país dificultan la verificación independiente de estas cifras.
(Con información de Europa Press)
Asia / Pacific
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Spanberger slams Trump on ‘affordability’ in SOTU response — as Virginia Democrats push new taxes
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Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger slammed President Donald Trump over his mass deportation operations in her official Democratic response to the State of the Union and repeated claims her party favors «affordability» even as the Old Dominion sees scores of new taxes.
Spanberger, elected in November to succeed conservative Gov. Glenn Youngkin, has sought to claim the mantle of «affordability,» even as she and Richmond Democrats move to enact or raise new taxes in multiple forms.
Speaking from the original historic House of Burgesses at the head of Colonial Williamsburg’s Duke of Gloucester Street, Spanberger noted how in 1705, the colony first gathered with the «extraordinary task of governing themselves.»
«The United States was founded on the idea that ordinary people could reject the unacceptable excesses of poor leadership, band together to demand better of their government, and create a nation that would be an example for the world,» she said, contrasting that vision with what Trump has brought.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers an address in Richmond. (Al Drago/Getty Images)
«Tonight, as we watched our nation’s lawmakers gather for a joint session of Congress, we did not hear the truth from our president,» she said, going on to rhetorically ask three questions:
«Is the President working to make life more affordable for you and your family? Is the President working to keep Americans safe — both at home and abroad? Is the President working for you?»
Spanberger recounted her 2025 election season, traveling around Virginia and addressing, «housing, health care, energy and childcare.»
She blamed Trump’s tariff policies for increasing costs, and claimed it has been Republicans trying to «make your life more expensive.»
Republicans have criticized Spanberger for supporting the legislative Democratic majority’s slew of taxes, from new sales taxes to a levy on fantasy football operators.
DEMOCRATS’ ‘TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME’ ON ‘FULL DISPLAY’ WITH COUNTER-STATE OF THE UNION EVENTS, JOHNSON SAYS
Instead, Spanberger said it was Virginia’s blue legislature that is working to lower costs:
«But here in Virginia, I am working with our state legislature to lower costs and make the Commonwealth more affordable.»
«And it’s not just me. Democrats across the country are laser-focused on affordability — in our nation’s capital and in state capitals and communities across America.»
At one point in her speech, Spanberger appeared to briefly lose her place on the teleprompter:
«But as the President spoke of his perceived successes tonight, he continues to cede economic power and technological strength to Russia … bow down to … China …to bow down to a Russian dictator, and make plans for war with Iran,» she said, as her prepared remarks cited China as the technological rival.
Just as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., wielded George Washington’s gavel for the first time in State of the Union history, Spanberger also gave a nod to the famous Stafford, Va., native.
«In his Farewell Address, George Washington warned us about the possibility of ‘cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men’ rising to power,» she said. «But he also encouraged us — all Americans — to unite in ‘a common cause’ to move this nation forward.»
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«That is our charge once more. And that is what we are seeing across the country. It is deeply American and patriotic to do so, and it is how we ensure that the State of our Union remains strong, not just this year but for the next 250 years as well.»
«Because ‘We the people’ have the power to make change, the power to stand up for what is right, and the power to demand more of our nation,» Spanberger said to close her remarks.
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state of the union,republicans,abigail spanberger,virginia,taxes
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