Maduro bolsters Leadership Amidst US-Venezuela Tensions
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced a critically important restructuring of his inner circle on Monday, appointing a 12-member political bureau designed to consolidate power and navigate escalating tensions wiht the United States. The move, unveiled during a rally of Chavista supporters outside the Miraflores Palace, aims to strengthen the “leadership at the highest level” of the ruling socialist movement, according to Maduro.
The newly formed bureau includes prominent figures already holding key positions within the government and the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Diosdado Cabello, currently Minister of the Interior and General Secretary of the PSUV, retains a central role. Jorge Rodríguez, President of the National assembly, was named Undersecretary General, while Héctor Rodríguez, Minister of Education, will lead the newly created Secretariat of Social movements, Popular Power and Patriotic Pole.
Other appointments saw Nahum Fernández, head of government for the Capital District, taking charge of Street Mobilization, and Pedro Infante, a Vice President of the National Assembly, becoming Secretary of Parliamentary Affairs.Francisco Ameliach, a deputy and regional progress leader, will oversee Security and Defense, while Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, was appointed Secretary of Strategy. Rounding out the bureau are Gabriela Jiménez (Extensive Political Training), Tania Díaz (International Affairs), Delcy Rodríguez (Production and finance), carmen Meléndez (Organization), and Grecia Colmenares (Youth).
The announcement comes against a backdrop of heightened friction with the US, stemming from a sustained military presence in the caribbean Sea as August. Recent warnings from the US Federal Aviation Management (FAA) advising caution for flights over Venezuela and the southern Caribbean have prompted several international airlines – including Iberia,Avianca,and Turkish Airlines – to suspend service to the country. President Trump further escalated the situation on Saturday by stating Venezuela’s airspace would remain “closed in its entirety,” a claim vehemently rejected by Caracas.
Venezuela has responded by lodging formal complaints with both the OPEC+ alliance and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), accusing the US of “bullying” tactics and alleging a desire to seize the nation’s oil reserves. Maduro, addressing the Chavista rally, emphasized that Venezuela’s strength lies in its people, its defense capabilities, and its determination to forge its own path. The formation of this new political bureau signals a clear effort to solidify internal control and present a united front in the face of external pressure.