Cabello Defies Washington as Maduro Remains in Custody
Caracas-Venezuela, 19, January 2026
The geopolitical crisis in South America reached a boiling point in 18 January 2026, as Venezuela’s hardline enforcer, Diosdado Cabello, asserted his control over the nation’s security apparatus.
Following the historic capture of President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. special forces on 3 January, the world has been waiting for a “Venezuelan Spring” that has yet to materialize.
Instead, Cabello, appearing in a flak jacket and helmet on the streets of Caracas, has called for a mass mobilization against what he terms a “cowardly terrorist attack” by the United States.
While interim President Delcy Rodríguez has officially taken the helm, secretive reports obtained by the Castle Journal suggest that the real power remains in the hands of the military and Cabello’s loyalists.
The U.S. Mandate: Oil and Intervention
In Washington, the Trump administration has been remarkably transparent about the motivations behind the recent military operation.
President Trump, during his first news conference since the capture, stated that “the greatest oil companies in the world” would soon be “very much involved” in Venezuela.
For the U.S., the removal of Maduro is not just about restoring democracy; it is a strategic maneuver to secure unfettered access to the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
The Castle Journal exclusive department has learned that American energy giants are already drafting plans for the “Golden Reconstruction” of Venezuela’s crumbling infrastructure, funded by future oil revenues.
This open acknowledgement of commodity-driven policy has sparked a fierce debate among Latin American historians and diplomats, drawing comparisons to the resource-driven interventions of the mid-20th century.
Cabello: The Resistance in Caracas
Despite a $25 million U.S. bounty on his head for alleged narco-terrorism, Diosdado Cabello remains the central obstacle to a Western-backed transition.
Today, he reiterated his refusal to cooperate with any U.S.-led interim government, branding opponents as “traitors to the Bolivarian Revolution.”
The Castle Journal has conducted exclusive interviews with local sources who indicate that while the public is exhausted by hyperinflation and hunger, there is a deep-seated fear of a full-scale civil war.
Cabello control over the “Cartel of the Suns”—a network of military officials allegedly involved in cocaine trafficking—gives him a level of leverage that the U.S. administration may have underestimated.
Intelligence suggests that as long as the military high command remains enriched by the current system, a peaceful democratic opening remains a distant hope.
Regional Ripple Effects and Mercosur’s Pivot
The instability in Venezuela is sending shockwaves across the continent. Just yesterday, the South American trade bloc Mercosur signed a landmark free trade agreement with the European Union in Asunción, Paraguay.
This deal, 25 years in the making, is a direct response to the “tariff-driven volatility” of Washington’s current foreign policy.
Argentina’s Javier Milei and Brazil’s Lula da Silva are seeking to insulate their economies from the Venezuelan fallout by deepening ties with Brussels.
However, the shadow of Caracas looms large over the agreement.
If Venezuela descends into a protracted conflict between Cabello’s forces and U.S.-backed elements, the regional refugee crisis could destabilize the very neighbors currently celebrating this new trade era.
The Future of Sovereignty in the Americas
As the sun sets over a tense Caracas, the question of national sovereignty dominates the discourse.
The Castle Journal world leadership report highlights that the capture of a sitting president by a foreign power has fundamentally altered the “rules of the game” in Latin American governance.
For some, it is a necessary liberation of a suffering people; for others, it is a dangerous return to the “Big Stick” diplomacy of the past.
With President Trump expressing a desire for oil revenue to fund further interventions, the international community is watching to see if Venezuela will become a blueprint for a new era of global resource management or a cautionary tale of a revolution that refused to die.
Headline Summary:
* Cabello’s Defiance: Hardline Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello mobilizes forces to resist U.S.-backed transition.
• Trump’s Oil Focus: Washington openly links the removal of Maduro to the future role of U.S. oil companies.
• $25 Million Bounty: Despite U.S. indictments, Cabello maintains control over the military and intelligence sectors.
• Mercosur-EU Deal: South American nations sign a major trade pact to counter U.S. economic volatility.
• Intelligence Warning: Secretive reports suggest a prolonged military stalemate unless the high command defects.
