The head of the presidential security office was dismissed after failing to protect Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Freddy Ñáñez, Minister of Communication and Information who oversees communications for Acting President Delcy Rodríguez of Venezuela, said on his Telegram on the 7th (local time) that "Acting President Rodríguez appointed Gustavo González López as the new commander of the presidential security office and director of the anti-terrorism intelligence agency."
It is seen that Javier Marcano Tabata, who was then head of the presidential security office, is stepping down after U.S. military operations led to the capture of President Maduro and his spouse.
Minister Ñáñez of the Ministry of Communication and Information said, "The acting president expressed gratitude for former Deputy Minister Tabata's dedication and loyalty shown during the tenure," but did not give specifics about former Deputy Minister Tabata's current status.
Some claimed that former Deputy Minister Tabata cooperated with the United States. Local TV Venevisión, citing an official involved in Tabata's arrest, criticized that "Tabata not only neglected duties but also sold sovereignty to the highest bidder, the United States." Reports suggested that an arrest warrant might be issued for the former head of the presidential security office.
Earlier, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, Maduro's son and a member of the National Assembly, hinted in an audio message posted on his social media that someone leaked information to the U.S. side during Maduro's capture, saying, "History will tell who the traitor was." It was not clear whether Guerra's remarks were directly related to former Deputy Minister Tabata.
Meanwhile, according to local media, Gustavo González López, Venezuela's new head of the presidential security office, previously served as Director General of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN). Amid allegations of human rights abuses and corruption, he is under sanctions by the United States and the European Union (EU) and is known to be close to Diosdado Cabello, Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace, a "hard-line Maduro confidant."