The interim government of Delcy Rodríguez began dismantle the cooperation structure with Havana that sustained the Chavista regime for a quarter of a century. This decision, driven by the pressure from the Donald Trump administration, marks the end of an era of mutual dependence between both countries.
According to Reuters, one of the most symbolic and operational changes occurs in the immediate environment of the presidency. After decades of presence of advisors from the island in the presidential guard and in the counterintelligence unit, a structural purge has been confirmed.
Rodríguez replaced its entire security scheme by Venezuelan agents, marking a definitive distance with the Cuban security forces who previously guarded Nicolás Maduro.
According to news agency reports, this movement responds to a mass abandonment of military personnel and security advisors. who have terminated their service in Venezuela to return to Cuban territory.
The departure not only includes active personnel: it was learned that several soldiers who were injured in the US operation at the beginning of the year also They would have traveled to Cuba for recovery.
The collapse of the exchange
The departure of the Cuban contingents is not limited to the military sphere. Thousands of health professionals would also be leaving Venezuela before the unviability of the bilateral agreement. For years, the island provided security, health and education services in exchange for constant supplies of Venezuelan oil, however, this dynamic came to an end.
Under the new leadership, the Venezuelan government began to comply with Washington’s guidelines to suspend any type of energy subsidy to the island. When the oil tap was turned off, the economic incentive to maintain medical and technical missions disappeared.
This distancing from Cuba has been the bargaining chip for Rodríguez’s government achieve significant milestones with the United States such as the reactivation of channels for oil export towards international markets and the release of hundreds of political prisoners in recent weeks.
