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Marco Rubio: ‘There Is No Loyalty to Maduro’ Among Venezuela’s Elite
Frances Martel
May 8, 2019
Breitbart
 
Venezuelan socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro’s days are numbered because his inner circle has no personal loyalty towards him or his ideology, and, after last week’s military uprising, Maduro now knows it, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) told Breitbart News in a conversation Monday.
 
Rubio, who has become one of the most prominent voices in Congress on the spread of communist ideology in 21st century Latin America and plays a key role advising the White House on Venezuela, added that Maduro’s decision to shut down three of the country’s private airports in the aftermath of the uprising led by legitimate Venezuelan President Juan Guaidó indicates he suspects at least some around him are plotting their betrayal.
 
Rubio claimed Maduro forced all those in his inner circle to take polygraph tests after they stood accused of negotiating their escape with the United States in exchange for helping end Maduro’s regime.
 
He lists among the most important players keeping the Maduro regime in power figures like Tareck El Aissami, considered Hezbollah’s representative in the country; cocaine kingpin Diosdado Cabello; and Delcy Rodríguez, who recently warned starved Venezuelans not to eat food sent by the United States because it allegedly contained “chemical weapons.” Maduro typically rotates those in power from job to job, so all three have been at one time Venezuela’s vice president. Rodríguez holds the position currently.
 
Unlike Maduro, most of his inner circle is not loyal to socialist/communist ideology, a key vulnerability for Maduro, according to Rubio.
 
“Maduro is most certainly ideological, I mean, he wants to transition Venezuela to a Cuban-style system of governance, one party. He spent a lot of time in Cuba; it’s the reason the Cubans wanted him to be [late dictator Hugo] Chávez’s successor: because he is committed to that model,” Rubio told Breitbart News. “But the majority of the people in his inner circle, the key people, the seven to eight people that really hold up the regime, are not ideological, to varying degrees, but not like him.”
 
“They are primarily motivated by keeping and continuing to make the millions of dollars that they make from corruption opportunities and providing for the safety and security of themselves and their families – staying out of jail and allowing their families to continue to enjoy their wealth at home and abroad,” he added.
 
“There is no loyalty to Maduro,” he argued. “[There] is basically loyalty to a system that is making them rich and has allowed their families to enjoy life and stay out of jail.”
 
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