Diosdado Cabello: The Hardliner Shaping Venezuela's Next Crisis

• Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela's interior minister, demanded the return of Nicolás Maduro, contrasting with interim president Delcy Rodríguez's call for cooperation.
• Cabello controls Venezuela's police, intelligence services, and security units, and influences armed pro-government colectivos, making him a powerful figure.
• His anti-American stance is deeply rooted, stemming from the 1992 coup attempt with Chávez and the 2002 overthrow attempt blamed on Washington.
• Cabello faces US indictments for drug trafficking and corruption, with a bounty on his head, making compromise with Washington personally risky.
• Analysts believe Cabello's loyalty to Rodríguez is conditional, especially if she makes significant concessions to the US on oil or political reforms.

Why It Matters: Diosdado Cabello, a powerful hardliner, is a critical and unpredictable factor in Venezuela's political future.