Who would have thought that once ostracized Diosdado Cabello would all of a sudden become again one of the most powerful men in the country? Diosdado was once Chavez’ buddy and ūber-Minister. Vice-President during the 2002 “coup”, but whose ambitions and mercantile interests and questionable relations brought him down. He was banished to the Miranda Governorship, where he failed to hold on to the position, giving way to none other than opposition front runner Henrique Capriles Radonsky.
But all of a sudden Diosdado has resurrected or is being resurrected. Last month he was elected first Vice-President of Chavez’ political party PSUV, and today he was anointed as President of the Venezuelan National Assembly. He replaced former guerrilla member Fernando Soto Rojas, who did a more credible job than anyone expected, trying to clean up the corruption in the National Assembly and a man who proved to be more open to talking to anyone than could be expected.
But clearly, this was a victory for the “mercantile-anti-Cuban-military” side of Chavismo, led by Diosdado, over the “bolsas-loyal ideologues” of the Miranda front led by Jaua and the “pro-Cuban front” led by brother Adan and some military and the “suck-up to Hugo” group led by Maduro.
And it is hard for me to believe that Hugo wanted it this way. There is clearly some serious dissension and tension within the military about the current Cuban role in the country. And as I noted when Hugo got sick, the successor would likely be chosen between Maduro and Diosdado, favoring Diosdado because of his military connections. He is the one that can hold all the sides together, except for the Cubans, who will play a role to the last minute, so don’t count them out, I still think they may rise again with Ronald Blanco La Cruz as their candidate. Maduro apparently believed he was the one and Chavez did not like it.
And it has everything to do with Chavez being sick. Some military may feel comfortable with the Cubans as long as Hugo is around, but get edgy thinking he may not be around and the Cubans might decide to stay. And Godgiven is their man. Never mind his troubled past, his connections to the failed revolutionary banks, he is their choice and was forced on Chavez, despite Cuban protestations.
Por Ahora!
The Devil's Excrement 
June 8, 2012 at 3:09 pm
[…] Assembly who was “ostracized” for his loss to Capriles in 2008. He is also part of an “anti-Cuban” faction within the PSUV. Nicolas Maduro, on the other hand, is projected to be Chavez’s successor. […]
January 9, 2012 at 5:53 pm
I AM SCARED NOW. Diosdado Cabello is the one man able to prop up a dead Chavez for all eternity, and of making chavismo into another peronismo to haunt even the youngest of us to our graves.
Maybe Maria Gabriela Chavez can make a credible Evita. And Rosines an Isabelita. Maybe we will have our military dictatorship end when we get our asses soundly beaten in our very own Malvinas War by 2040. And then a future Menem, Duhalde, and of course the Kirchners, all riding the dead Grand Old Man (Registered Trademark of Diosdado Cabello) like a surf table.
January 8, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Charles, all I know is a lot of key people report to GH…military included.
January 8, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Ol’ pretty eyes Godgiven Hair, where have thou been? Where’s Freddy Bernal and Jorge Rodriguez?
January 7, 2012 at 10:23 am
Ok after some deep sleep-Chavez bringing back Cabello is just another example
of turning real people (terrible, but real) into zombie mouthpieces for Chavez.
I don’t think Cabello will be “his own man”-he will act according to Chavez since
his heart and feelings have been ripped out -that is what it takes to work for
Chavez.
January 7, 2012 at 9:47 am
inviting meant to say infighting
January 7, 2012 at 9:46 am
It just gets better and better. The military officer that proclaimed the military would never accept a Chavez defeat was just appointed Defense Minister. Is Rangel’s appointment just too obvious a reaction to the inviting and his fear of lose of the election or is it just me?
January 7, 2012 at 5:38 am
Miguel,
My point is that there Diosdado did have a lot of power, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to return to the centre stage. This never goes without the veto of Chávez. Chávez, whether he liked it or not, had to accept him when Diosdado was suggested.
Why? Who set the points? Some high ranking military we don’t know? Who are they?
I have always thought, at least since April 2002, that Chávez viewed Diosdado as a possible threat but Diosdado very cunningly declared many times his unconditional support for Chávez in very public ways, so to avoid being victim of a purge – something Soviet commies didn’t have the opportunity as there was not our media landscape – while keeping his links to all his mates in high ranking positions. Recently a lot of Diosdado’s classmates were promoted within the military.
In any case, I think it is interesting to read what Rocío San Miguel wrote:
http://www.notitarde.com/notitarde/plantillas/nota.aspx?idart=1527253&idcat=9841&tipo=2
I like her organisation, at least the purpose of it…I hope she can really help Venezuelans learn more about the pernicious effect our military caste has always had upon the country.
January 7, 2012 at 5:32 am
If the anti-Cuban faction wins out consider that there will be considerably more oil to sell instead of give-away. The Cuban subsidy must be driving the professionally corrupt crazy with anticipation.
January 6, 2012 at 11:36 pm
If your theory is true about Diosdado Cabello being against the Cubans-Then-this doesn’t fit. Look at the schedule-re. 4-February, 2012.
[O/T but what does Mr. Cabello think about the Iranian influence, the Russian
influence, too?]
Since Mr. Cabello will be in charge of the National Assembly- will he
support the “treaty” or marriage between Cuba and Venezuela beginning
on February 4. Or, will Chavez just proclaim it to be thus solo?
What is the procedure for marrying 2 countries?
We shall see his “true colors” then..everyone will show them….
January 6, 2012 at 5:23 pm
I don’t think that this nomination is good news…
January 6, 2012 at 3:27 pm
My reading of these changes is that Chavez is losing strength.
I do not think Diosdado’s nomination in the AN at this very key moment would be Chavez idea.
January 6, 2012 at 4:26 pm
Of course, Chavez is on the pro-Cuban side, but the other side seems more powerful for now. Basically, I think there is a positioning here to guarantee that if Chavez were to pass away, Cuba’s influence will go away.
Based on that I prefer Diosdado, but he also represents the most corrupt side of Chavismo.
January 6, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Completely agree. Does this sound a resurgence for rest of the old guard – Chacon, Rangel et al. ? I don’t think so but who else can Chavez rely on to provide balance?
January 6, 2012 at 2:12 pm
I don’t know how much can we read between the lines of these changes.
Since the beginnings Chavez has rotated his entourage, sending his favorites to lesser charges and promoting those that were put aside in the past. Since PSUV is so scarce in personnel, the rotation only takes 18 months or so.
see Jaua and Maduro: they are departing from the inner circle to take difficult fights in Miranda and Carabobo, At first that might sound as a change in the dominant factions in PSUV, as the 2 most powerful men are likely to be defeated. But how come this happens with a several months notice?
If Chavez really feels the need of new vice-president and foreign minister, then he would have picked new ones the moment he announced Jaua and Maduro were going to run for office, instead of keeping them in what seems to be the longest “preaviso” ever.
Next in the waiting line is Jesse Chacón who has served time in that entertaining ensemble that is GISXXI
January 6, 2012 at 1:57 pm
This is setting up the stage for a lot of turmoil in the future. Whomever becomes president of Venezuela will be constantly threatened by Diosdado.
January 6, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Miguel,
Diosdado has always been one of the most influential men around Chávez. He is the cleverer and he knows a lot of nasty things about the others.
January 6, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Not true. Diosdado was completely pushed aside by Chavez. Diosaddo created his own group and even fielded candidates for his group in Mayoral elections. He was really and truly ostracized, his banker buddies jailed and persecuted. They are still in jail. This is a victory for DC, shows the military is with him. His anti-Cuba stance is paying off. May not last, but it is paying off.
January 6, 2012 at 12:24 pm
Miguel, do you mean when Diosdado was beaten by Henrique? Surely after they lose a vote Chávez relocates them. What do you mean by “his anti-Cuba stance”? I am not sure you mean what you think because if it is – his close links to the key members within the military caste – then I see that as rather proof he always has had power and Chávez fears him.
January 6, 2012 at 12:28 pm
No, way before that, when he was removed from the Cabinet.
He disagrees with the Cuban military presence and influence in the country and is aligned with the group of military which does not want the Cubans in the country, not with those that do, that is precsiely the point of the article. The ones that want the Cuban presence are with Adan Chavez, Blanco la Cruz, etc. Diosdado is NOT an admirer of the Cuban revolution.
January 6, 2012 at 10:43 am
“Last month he was elected first Vice-President of Chavez’ political party PSUV”
Elected? Did I miss the voting or are you being sarcastic?