Havana/The Cuban presence in Venezuela, considered for years one of the pillars of the survival of Chavismo, shows signs of withdrawal. Security advisors and medical personnel from the Island have begun to leave the South American country amid growing pressure from Washington to dismantle the alliance between both governments, as revealed by an investigation published this Friday by the Reuters agency.
The movement occurs in a particularly delicate context for Caracas and Havana. According to eleven sources cited by the agency, the Venezuelan interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has chosen to entrust her protection to Venezuelan bodyguards, marking a difference with the usual practice during the mandates of Nicolás Maduro and Hugo Chávez, who depended on Cuban elite units for their personal security.
The withdrawal does not seem total or definitive, but it is significant. Some Cuban advisors within the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim) have been removed from their duties, according to a former Venezuelan intelligence official. In addition, in recent weeks there have been flights returning to Cuba with health professionals and security specialists.
A source close to the Venezuelan ruling party assured that the departure responds directly to the orders of Delcy Rodríguez
A visible indication of this movement has been the air activity between Havana and Caracas. 14ymedio has carefully followed the routes of the Ilyushin Il-96-300 of Cubana de Aviación, which has made multiple trips in recent weeks to repatriate Cuban personnel stationed in Venezuela. The operation, far from being limited to health workers, mainly includes uniformed personnel from the Ministry of the Interior and the Revolutionary Armed Forces. The plane has made a dozen trips since the capture of Nicolás Maduro and does not always return empty, which suggests a rotation or rearrangement of the contingent on the ground. These flights, discreet but constant, reinforce the hypothesis of a partial withdrawal under external pressure rather than a total withdrawal of the Cuban presence in the South American country.
The exact reasons for the withdrawal continue to be the subject of conflicting versions. A source close to the Venezuelan ruling party assured that the departure responds directly to Rodríguez’s orders in the face of American pressure. Other sources, however, could not confirm whether this was a decision from Caracas, a voluntary movement by Cubans or an instruction emanating from Havana.
Washington has placed the Cuba-Venezuela relationship at the center of its regional strategy. After the US military operation on January 3 – in which, according to the Cuban Government, 32 citizens of the Island linked to security tasks – President Donald Trump promised to cut the link between both countries in the bud.
“Cuba survived for many years thanks to oil and money from Venezuela… but not anymore!” Trump wrote on January 11 on his Truth Social network, making clear the line of economic and political pressure.
The official media in Cuba avoid talking about the changes that have occurred in Venezuela after the capture of Maduro
For decades, the exchange was mutually beneficial: Havana sent thousands of doctors, sports trainers and intelligence advisers, while Caracas supplied subsidized oil that proved vital to the Cuban economy. That scheme began to erode with the Venezuelan crisis, but now faces its greatest challenge.
Since mid-December, Washington has blocked shipments of Venezuelan crude oil to Cuba, a measure that has aggravated the island’s already severe energy crisis. Added to this is the executive order of January 29where the Trump Administration threatens to impose tariffs on countries that export crude oil to the Island.
A White House official cited by Reuters also stated that the United States maintains “a very good relationship” with the new Venezuelan leadership and considers that Rodríguez’s interests “align” with Washington’s objectives.
Despite signs of operational distancing, both governments have publicly insisted on the continuity of the alliance. On January 8, Rodríguez herself appeared in Caracas alongside Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez during an event in memory of the victims of the US attack. Days later, the Venezuelan leader spoke by telephone with President Miguel Díaz-Canel to reaffirm – according to the official version – the bilateral “brotherhood.”
The withdrawal responds more to a tactical adjustment than to a strategic rupture
In Havana, the discourse has also remained without many variations, although the official media avoids talking about the changes that have occurred in Venezuela after the capture of Maduro. On the ground, however, the picture is more nuanced. A source close to the Cuban Government acknowledged that, although some injured soldiers During the US operation they have returned to the Island, others remain active in Venezuela. He also indicated that a considerable number of doctors continue to provide services.
Analysts consulted by Reuters agree that the withdrawal responds more to a tactical adjustment than to a strategic break. Frank Mora, former US ambassador to the Organization of American States, believes that Rodríguez is acting cautiously. The leader – according to her assessment – tries to keep the Cubans “at a distance” until she consolidates her control of power, without completely breaking with Havana.
Along the same lines, academic John Polga-Hecimovich emphasizes that the footprint of Cuban intelligence remains deeply embedded in Venezuelan security structures. Although the advisors were unable to prevent Maduro’s fall, their previous work – especially in counterintelligence – contributed decisively to the stability of Chavismo for years.
For now, the partial withdrawal opens more questions than certainties. While some return flights multiply, US sources warn that it is likely that undercover Cuban agents will remain in Venezuela observing the evolution of the political scenario. What does seem clear is that the decubanization of Venezuela It deepens and the Havana-Caracas axis is going through its most fragile moment.
