Cuban security advisors and medical personnel are rapidly withdrawing from Venezuela as Interim President Delcy Rodríguez’s government faces intense US demands to dismantle Latin America’s most enduring leftist partnership.
Shift from Maduro-Chávez Era Dependence
Unlike ousted Nicolás Maduro and Hugo Chávez who relied on elite Cuban forces for personal protection, Rodríguez has switched to Venezuelan bodyguards, removing Cubans from presidential security and key counterintelligence roles like the DGCIM.
US Pressure Post-Maduro Capture
Accelerated departures followed the January 3, 2026 US military operation capturing Maduro, killing 32 Cuban soldiers and exposing Havana’s deep security integration. President Trump publicly declared the oil-for-security exchange “over,” pushing Rodríguez to sideline Cuban influence.
Uncertainty Over Departure Motive
One ruling party source claims Rodríguez ordered exits due to Washington pressure; others unclear if voluntary, compelled by Caracas, or Havana-directed. Some advisors remain at UNES security university, but core presidential/counterintelligence presence dismantled.
Regional Realignment Implications
Withdrawal severs decades-long Cuban control over Venezuelan institutions built since late 2000s oil-for-expertise pact, weakening both regimes amid Cuba’s oil crisis and US strategy isolating authoritarian alliances across Latin America.
