Caracas, Venezuela – Nicolás Maduro unveiled a new 12-member political bureau Monday, signaling a renewed effort to consolidate power and rally support amidst ongoing political challenges and international pressure. Addressing supporters in Caracas, Maduro declared, “We are more then a party: we are a force, and we have achieved unity among all Venezuelans in the face of these imperial threats.”
The newly formed body, comprised of key figures within the ruling Chavismo movement-including Diosdado Cabello, Jorge Rodríguez, Delcy Rodríguez, and cilia Flores-is intended to “accompany him to lead all social and political forces.” The move comes as Maduro faces questions over the legitimacy of his recent reelection and escalating tensions with the United States. It also echoes a strategic tenet employed by Hugo Chávez - to deepen the revolution following periods of opposition – suggesting a potential radicalization of the Bolivarian revolution.
This year, Maduro has floated the possibility of accelerating constitutional reforms to bolster “popular power” and has proposed a “constituent assembly” to exert greater control over the nation’s labor unions. He has also advocated for “perfecting bolivarian democracy” through new, direct participation mechanisms, contrasting them with what he terms “the model of bourgeois democracy.” The announcements underscore Maduro’s attempts to solidify his position and navigate a delicate political landscape.
