The gradual withdrawal of Cuban advisors and security forces from Venezuela signals more than just a diplomatic shift; it might represent the unraveling of a military and intelligence network that Havana meticulously crafted since 2008 to shield the Chavista regime from internal conspiracies and military dissent.
This retreat, as reported by Reuters, takes on greater significance when juxtaposed with years of official Cuban denials about their direct involvement in security and repression activities in the South American nation.
According to the report, Cuban advisors have been removed from key roles within the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM), an agency notorious for its role in surveillance, persecution, and imprisonment of officers suspected of disloyalty.
Moreover, interim president Delcy Rodríguez is said to have replaced Cuban bodyguards with Venezuelan security personnel, breaking the tradition established by Hugo Chávez and continued by Nicolás Maduro, who entrusted their personal safety to elite forces dispatched from Havana.
The immediate trigger was the U.S. military operation on January 3rd, which led to Maduro's capture and resulted in the death of 32 Cuban personnel. Havana acknowledged the losses, honoring them as "internationalist heroes," a stark contrast to the long-standing categorical denials of Cuban military presence in Venezuela.
The 2008 Agreements: Architecture of Control
Cuban influence over Venezuelan security apparatuses was anything but spontaneous. A special Reuters report from 2019 uncovered two agreements signed in May 2008 between the defense ministries of both nations, granting Cuba extensive access to the Venezuelan military sector and the capability to overhaul it.
Under these accords, Venezuelan officers were sent to Havana for counterintelligence training; Cuban instructors oversaw the "modernization" of what was then the military intelligence service (DIM); and the agency's mission was redefined to shift focus from external threats to monitoring its own soldiers, officers, and commanders.
In 2011, the DIM was renamed DGCIM, reflecting its new emphasis on internal counterintelligence. According to testimonies collected by Reuters, Cuban-trained agents infiltrated barracks, intercepted high-ranking communications, and promoted a system of informing that instilled fear and paranoia among military ranks.
The DGCIM was later criticized by the United Nations and human rights organizations for practices including torture, arbitrary arrests, and cruel treatment. Cases like the death of Corvette Captain Rafael Acosta in custody in 2019, or officers accused of conspiracy after private meetings, highlighted the scale of this repressive apparatus.
Systematic Denials and Forced Acknowledgment
Despite over a decade of accumulating evidence, the Cuban regime consistently denied operational military presence in Venezuela. In 2019, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla categorically rejected allegations that Cuban military personnel were "training, controlling, or intimidating" in the South American country.
However, official reports following the deaths of the 32 personnel in January confirmed that members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) were part of the security apparatus linked to the Chavista leadership.
This contradiction was glaring: for years, cooperation was described as merely technical or medical, while the agreements revealed by Reuters showed a profound redesign of the Venezuelan intelligence system under Cuban guidance.
A Strategic Retreat
Now, under direct pressure from the administration of President Donald Trump—which has reiterated its intention to sever the Caracas-Havana axis and blocked oil shipments to the Island—Cuban presence seems to be receding in sensitive areas.
While some military advisors and professors linked to the National Experimental University of Security (UNES) remain in the country, sources cited by Reuters indicate that Havana's influence is waning.
Analysts argue that Delcy Rodríguez is proceeding cautiously, aiming to consolidate her internal position without abruptly severing ties with a historic ally. What is at stake is not just a bilateral alliance, but the control architecture that enabled the Chavista regime to navigate internal conspiracies for over a decade. If the Cuban withdrawal is consolidated, it could alter the balance within the Venezuelan armed forces, opening the door to necessary restructuring and redefining Havana's dwindling regional influence.
The departure of advisors does not erase the legacy of the 2008 agreements or the surveillance system they helped build. However, it marks the most delicate moment of an alliance that, after years of denials and ideological rhetoric, now faces a different geopolitical reality and unprecedented international pressure.
The Impact of Cuban Withdrawal on Venezuelan Security
What are the implications of Cuban withdrawal from Venezuela?
The withdrawal signifies a potential dismantling of the Cuban-influenced security system in Venezuela, possibly leading to a reshuffling of military power and a shift in the political dynamics within the country.
How has the Cuban influence affected Venezuelan military operations?
Cuban influence led to a restructuring of Venezuelan military intelligence, focusing on internal surveillance and loyalty checks rather than external threats, fostering an environment of fear and distrust within the armed forces.
What role did the DGCIM play under Cuban guidance?
Under Cuban guidance, the DGCIM became central to monitoring and controlling military personnel, using tactics like espionage and promoting informants, which have been condemned by international bodies for human rights abuses.