Venezuela's Interim President Dismisses Military General Following Maduro's Seizure

Fri Jan 09 2026 00:18:16 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a significant reshuffle, Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodríguez has dismissed General Javier Marcano Tábata, head of the presidential honour guard, just days after Nicolás Maduro was seized by U.S. forces in Caracas.

After the U.S. seizure of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has replaced General Javier Marcano Tábata, the head of the presidential honour guard. This decision follows a tumultuous event during which many members of the guard were reportedly killed, prompting scrutiny over Venezuela's security. Rodríguez aims to stabilize her administration while responding to external pressures, especially from the U.S.

The general in command of Venezuela's presidential honour guard, Javier Marcano Tábata, has been sacked days after Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was seized by US forces in a raid in Caracas and taken to New York to stand trial on narco-terrorism charges.

The presidential honour guard is the military force which provides the bodyguards tasked with protecting the head of state.

While the Venezuelan government has not yet provided a detailed breakdown of casualties, members of the guard are thought to be among the dozens killed in the US operation to seize Maduro.

The order to replace Gen Marcano Tábata was issued by the new interim president, Delcy Rodríguez.

Rodríguez was sworn in by the National Assembly, which is dominated by government loyalists, on Monday. She served as Maduro's vice-president and is considered to be a close ally of the jailed leader.

US President Donald Trump said in the news conference following Maduro's seizure that the United States would run Venezuela and that the US was talking to Rodríguez. He also threatened that Rodríguez would face a fate worse than Maduro's if she did not comply with US demands, including those for oil, of which Venezuela has the world's largest proven reserves.

On Tuesday, the US president said that Venezuela would be turning over up to 50 million barrels of oil to the US, but Venezuela's interim government has yet to comment on that statement.

Rodríguez's tone has been alternating between defiant and conciliatory since she was designated interim president by Venezuela's Supreme Court. She denounced the seizure of Maduro as an illegal kidnapping but has also stated that her government had invited the US government to work together on an agenda of cooperation.

Her actions are being watched closely both inside and outside of Venezuela to gauge what course she may steer now that she is in charge of the country and to note any potential rifts in her government.

The sacking of Gen Marcano Tábata is one of the first changes to senior officials in her inner circle. As well as being in charge of the presidential guard, Gen Marcano Tábata also led Venezuela's military counterintelligence unit DGCIM, which has been accused of human rights violations.

Venezuelan analysts believe that Gen Marcano Tábata's dismissal is related to the inability of the presidential honour guard to prevent Maduro's seizure. Cuba, a key ally of Venezuela, reported that 32 of its nationals were killed in the US raid, indicating a significant breach in security.

The situation remains highly volatile as Rodríguez continues to assert her authority amid foreign and domestic pressures, strategizing to maintain power and navigate the complex geopolitical landscape in the wake of Maduro's removal.