AGP Executive Report

Elections & Opposition: Venezuela’s opposition candidate Edmundo González renewed calls for presidential elections as interim President Delcy Rodríguez’s term nears five months, framing the push as a path to “re-institutionalization” after Maduro’s ouster. Economic Recovery & Food Security: Rodríguez said Venezuela is moving toward economic recovery via communal production, pointing to coffee output and the start of operations under the Community Coffee Plan. Agriculture in the Llanos: Guárico communal groups joined the 2026 Agrifood Plan to kick off corn planting, receiving inputs and fuel to stabilize local supply. Regional Politics Watch: Colombia heads to a high-stakes presidential vote that could reshape ties with the U.S. and Venezuela, with analysts flagging a likely runoff. Caribbean & Security: The U.S. reported another deadly “drug boat” strike in the eastern Pacific, bringing the week’s death toll to 205. International Finance: Bloomberg reports emerging-markets distressed-debt funds are turning away new investors as cash piles in, making it harder to deploy money in smaller markets. Trade & Sanctions Workarounds: Russia and Mexico plan talks on dollar-free payment mechanisms to bypass SWIFT, with agricultural cooperation on the agenda.

U.S.-Cuba Pressure Talks: The top U.S. commander for Latin America, Gen. Francis Donovan, met Cuban military officials near Guantánamo Bay to discuss operational security as Washington ramps up military, economic, and legal pressure on Havana. Caribbean Flashpoint: The same pressure campaign sits alongside reports of U.S. military readiness and broader Caribbean contingency planning, keeping Cuba in the spotlight of U.S. strategy. Venezuela-Guyana Border Tensions: A Guyanese soldier was wounded in a gunfight with armed men in Venezuela along the shared border, underscoring how the Essequibo dispute and regional instability remain live political flashpoints. Colombia Election Spillover: Venezuela is showing up in Colombia’s presidential race mainly as a symbol in the U.S.-aligned debate, with candidates positioning themselves around Washington’s evolving approach to Caracas. Venezuela Governance Moves: Venezuela’s acting leadership continues restructuring and public-policy rollouts, including health and administrative changes aimed at managing the “new reality.” International Legal/Policy Noise: The week also featured major international legal and sanctions updates that can ripple into Venezuela-linked financial and diplomatic calculations.

Caracas Politics & Government: Acting President Delcy Rodríguez marked Venezuela’s National Day of the Elderly by highlighting 5,000 Comprehensive Care Brigades and claiming 365,000 grandparents found in vulnerable situations, while PDVSA inaugurated a new Comprehensive Health Care Center in Caracas for oil workers. National Assembly & Migration: National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said the National Cocoa Law and National Coffee Law will be approved by the first week of June, and urged Venezuelan migrants abroad to return for reconstruction under the “without sanctions and in peace” push. Foreign Policy & Diplomacy: Foreign Minister Yván Gil announced the Institute for Higher Diplomatic Studies “Pedro Gual” is being transformed into the Bolivarian University of Peace Diplomacy, and the AN approved appointing Samuel Moncada as ambassador to France. Regional Security & U.S.-Cuba Pressure: Senior U.S. Southern Command chief Gen. Francis Donovan met Cuban military leaders at Guantanamo Bay amid rising U.S. threats toward Cuba, with analysts warning intervention risk. Environment & Social Programs: The Chuquisaca Plan 2026 hit 100,000 trees planted nationwide, and MINCULTURA coordinated comprehensive care efforts for older adults in La Vega, Caracas.

Health & Infrastructure: Health Minister Carlos Alvarado says a new high-end robotic system has been installed at the University Hospital of Caracas, with training and case-by-case evaluations, as part of a broader recovery push for public reference centers and popular clinics. Sanctions Pressure & Production: Diosdado Cabello says the state has been unable to buy production machinery for 13 years due to sanctions, and claims the president in charge has ordered new equipment purchases, with a tour of the Aracua cheese plant used to highlight food-sector resilience. Elderly Policy: A state-backed feature marks National Day of the Elderly, stressing preferential treatment for older adults in banking and public transport, plus pension growth since 1999. U.S. Immigration Accountability (Venezuelans): In Minneapolis’ Operation Metro Surge fallout, ICE agent Christian Castro was arrested in Texas over the Jan. shooting of Venezuelan immigrant Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, with prosecutors framing it as a step toward accountability. Air Links to Caracas: JetBlue announced plans for its first-ever nonstop flights to Venezuela from Fort Lauderdale to Caracas, pending government approval, aiming to tap South Florida’s Venezuelan community. Regional Crime Cooperation: South American ministers in Chile agreed on a plan to curb international organized crime, including financial and immigration controls, citing threats linked to gangs such as Tren de Aragua.

National Assembly & Sanctions Push: AN President Jorge Rodríguez led a caravan in Apure as part of the second phase of the National Pilgrimage against sanctions, calling for a “rebirth” of Venezuela and urging producers to keep feeding the country. Livestock Law Reform: Rodríguez said parliament will approve in June a new Law for the Protection of Livestock Activity, aimed at updating pre-1999 rules and adding clearer treatment of crimes like cattle theft. Producer Demands: Apure cattle and farm leaders backed the sanctions end, pressed for credit, longer deadlines, and road repairs including Troncal 19 and the Achaguas–Guachara branch. Security & Community Model: In Falcón’s La Sierra, Diosdado Cabello urged security agencies to “be friends” with residents through “Peace Quadrants,” framing the approach as citizen protection ahead of a July 12 popular consultation. Economic Dialogue: Acting President Delcy Rodríguez chaired an economic-productive meeting under the Program for Peace and Democratic Coexistence, bringing together business and banking leaders alongside the Attorney General. US Pressure on Venezuela (Context): Separate reporting claims the US is positioning for possible Cuba action and has moved to label foreign gangs as terrorist groups—signals of broader regional pressure that Caracas continues to denounce.

US-Venezuela Legal Pivot: The Trump administration reportedly told Miami federal prosecutors to stand down on criminal probes into acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, a longtime Maduro insider, as Washington seeks to stabilize ties after Maduro’s capture. Caracas Governance & Restructuring: President (E) Delcy Rodríguez pushed a government reorganization agenda, including appointments tied to “efficient management” and restructuring, while officials framed it as a response to Venezuela’s “new reality” and sanctions pressure. Guyana-Esequibo Clash: Venezuela rejected Guyanese President Irfaan Ali’s Essequibo remarks as “provocative and delusional,” insisting the 1966 Geneva Agreement governs talks and rejecting ICJ jurisdiction. International Pressure on Arms: Russia warned Venezuela against any arrangements that could support Ukraine, citing Caracas’s Soviet-era arsenal and a shift toward more pragmatic ties with Washington. Regional Spotlight: JetBlue announced its first-ever nonstop flights to Venezuela (Caracas via Maiquetía), pending approvals—an economic signal amid ongoing political strain.

U.S.-Venezuela Legal Shift: The Trump administration has told federal prosecutors in Miami to “stand down” on criminal investigations into acting President Delcy Rodríguez, easing pressure as Washington seeks to stabilize Venezuela after Maduro’s capture and reopen the door to investment. National Mobilization: Rodríguez launched the second phase of the “Great National Pilgrimage” in Anzoátegui, centering the productive economy and calling for an end to sanctions via caravans, assemblies, and visits to cassava and hydrocarbon training facilities. Oil & Education Policy: Rodríguez announced a Higher Academic Council for Hydrocarbons and highlighted PDVSA technical training as part of the sanctions-free development push. PSUV Messaging: Diosdado Cabello mocked “diosdadologists” who claim to decode PSUV leaders’ moves, and reiterated that the opposition’s “extremism” is the same target PSUV says it has defeated for decades. Regional Governance Debate: Venezuela-linked coverage also surfaced in a La Guaira Special Economic Zone forum focused on legal and environmental hurdles for the zone’s master plan.

US–Venezuela Tensions: Russia’s top security official Sergei Shoigu condemned the January 3 U.S. seizure of Maduro, calling it aggression and reiterating Russia-Venezuela partnership. Caracas Justice Reform: Deputy Jorge Arreaza says a June 1 national consultation will push structural criminal justice reforms to tackle corruption and procedural delays, with hearings for judicial actors and families. PSUV Grassroots: Venezuela’s ruling party is reorganizing grassroots presence in Caracas and advancing communal political teams across states, signaling tighter local political machinery ahead of the 2026 cycle. US Leak Crackdown: The Trump administration is moving toward government-wide NDAs for federal workers, citing recent media disclosures tied to the Venezuela raid and arguing leaks endanger troops. International Pressure on Cuba via Venezuela: Finnish President Alexander Stubb warned the U.S. under Trump now projects power without allied consent, pointing to “You go into Venezuela, you don’t ask” as the new model. Curaçao–Venezuela Spillover: Dutch lawmakers backed efforts to connect Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire to Venezuela-linked economic and diplomatic developments, while a Dutch Supreme Court ruling in the “Case Venus” human trafficking case orders repayment of over 667,000 guilders tied to Venezuelan women exploited at a Curaçao nightclub.

Government Reorganization: Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez announced a sweeping reshuffle, naming Héctor Rodríguez as presidential commissioner for government restructuring and reengineering, plus a new Presidential Commission for Efficient Government Management led by Anabel Pereira. Sanctions & Services: In the same Council of Ministers push, Rodríguez framed the changes as a response to the “unblocking” fight against U.S. coercive measures, while highlighting expanded health and surgical programs and a second phase of the “pilgrimage” aimed at food sovereignty. Local Politics: PSUV grassroots nomination assemblies for communal political teams continued in Miranda’s Sucre municipality, with officials stressing “internal democracy” ahead of coming challenges. Roads & Daily Life: Public works teams reported major repairs on the Puerto La Cruz–Cumaná and Yaguaracual–Mochima routes in Sucre after pavement subsidence and slope instability forced restricted traffic to one lane. International Spotlight: Separately, U.S. policy pressure on Cuba remains in focus after Cuba appealed to the UN Security Council for help amid the fuel blockade fears.

Caribbean Security: The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard says U.S. tensions tied to Venezuela directly complicated 2025 security around the ABC islands, citing expanded U.S. monitoring under “Operation Southern Spear,” while stressing it saw no major spike in sea-borne undocumented arrivals from Venezuela. Courts & Corruption: Spain’s high court delayed former PM Zapatero’s Plus Ultra testimony to mid-June after handing over an eight-volume, nearly 4,000-page dossier, as police move in on related accounts. Prisons: Venezuela fired Barinas detention director Elvis Macuare Guerrero after a violent inmate uprising over alleged torture, with mass evacuations following. U.S. Secrecy Push: Washington is drafting a government-wide nondisclosure agreement for federal workers, pointing to leaks tied to a January Venezuela raid. Politics & Speech: The U.S. Supreme Court backed Trump in a dispute over limits on what immigration judges can say publicly. Markets Watch: Spain blocked Polymarket and Kalshi pending a gambling-licence probe.

Health & Education Push: Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced a fund under the Venezuela Bella Mission to recover universities nationwide, while also unveiling a robotic operating room and reconstructive plastic surgery unit at the University Hospital of Caracas—part of a broader push to modernize hospitals and link education to economic “engines.” Oil & Investment Pitch: Venezuela’s hydrocarbons regulator said the state will be “flexible” for foreign investors, signaling legal and tax reforms aimed at bringing back capital and allowing greater operational control in select projects. Sanctions-Response Politics: In Zulia, Diosdado Cabello and Luis Caldera staged a “pilgrimage” against sanctions, urging migrants to return and framing the region as Venezuela’s “engine.” Cuba-China Relief: Cuba received a major rice shipment from China as U.S. pressure deepens, with Diaz-Canel calling the situation “collective punishment.” Regional Context: The week also kept attention on U.S. military drills and threats tied to Venezuela/Cuba amid wider Iran-war fallout.

U.S.-Venezuela Military Posture: The U.S. staged a highly visible “rapid response” drill in Caracas, with Marine Corps Ospreys landing near the reopened U.S. embassy and vessels entering Venezuelan waters—prompting protests from residents who reject American military presence. Prison Pressure in Venezuela: Separate reports say inmates protested alleged mistreatment, including actions on prison roofs, as tensions over security and conditions keep bubbling. Cuba Escalation Watch: The week’s broader theme is rising U.S. pressure on Havana, with fresh legal moves tied to Raúl Castro and renewed talk of possible military escalation. Regional Diplomacy on Women’s Safety: Brazil proposed a Mercosur pact against femicide, pushing coordinated prevention, protection, and access to justice across member states. Energy Chessboard: India’s crude buying is shifting toward Venezuela and other non-Gulf suppliers as Strait of Hormuz disruptions reshape global oil routes.

US–Venezuela Tensions: The U.S. carried out a “rapid response” evacuation drill at its reopened Caracas embassy, using Ospreys and naval activity—prompting a small protest against the “Yankee drill.” Opposition Politics: María Corina Machado says she will run again for Venezuela’s presidency and return from exile before end-2026, insisting on free elections for Venezuelans inside and outside the country. Diplomacy & Regional Links: Venezuela and Colombia met in Barquisimeto to push consular, prison, and transport cooperation, including the reopening of Colombia’s consulate in Barquisimeto. Human Rights & Amnesty: Interim President Delcy Rodríguez reported progress on the Amnesty Law and judicial reform, citing hundreds of releases and thousands applying for benefits. Security Inside Venezuela: In Barinas, prisoners staged a roof protest over alleged shootings by guards, calling for the prison director’s removal. Cuba Pressure Spillover: China’s first 15,000-ton rice shipment to Cuba arrived as U.S. pressure and blackouts worsen—another reminder of how Caracas’s region is being pulled into Washington’s wider campaign.

Diplomatic Restart: Colombia reopened its consulate in Barquisimeto, Lara, with Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio and Governor Luis Reyes Reyes saying the goal is to resume services for Colombians in Venezuela. Cuba Pressure Escalates: U.S. officials, including Marco Rubio, are framing Cuba as a “national security threat,” while Havana rejects claims that it’s preparing attacks and calls the U.S. narrative a fabricated pretext. Legal Showdown Looms: The U.S. unsealed an indictment against Raúl Castro tied to the 1996 “Brothers to the Rescue” shootdown, with Cuban officials denouncing the move as hypocrisy—legal experts say it likely won’t hold up in court. Venezuela Politics: María Corina Machado announced she plans to return to Venezuela before end-2026 and run again for president, insisting on free and fair elections. U.S. Military Presence: Marines carried out a rapid-response drill at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, underscoring how Washington is pairing diplomacy with visible force.

U.S.-Venezuela Tensions: The U.S. Embassy in Caracas staged a rapid-response drill with two MV-22B Osprey helicopters and Marines, landing near the reopened embassy and prompting protests from residents who called it a humiliation or threat—while the embassy framed it as routine readiness under a “three-phase” stabilization plan. Opposition Politics: Maria Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, announced she will run for president again and wants to return from exile before the end of 2026, arguing any credible vote needs neutral electoral authorities and a new voter registry. Judicial Reform Push: Interim President Delcy Rodríguez and National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez backed a June 1 start for a national consultation to overhaul the criminal justice system, citing delays, corruption, and the criminalization of poverty. Security & Enforcement: Venezuela seized about 4,000 Bitcoin mining machines in Maracay in a raid targeting illegal digital mining amid rising electricity strain. Regional Cooperation: Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela agreed to keep sharing information and strengthen coordination on cross-border oil spill response.

ODNI Shake-Up: Tulsi Gabbard resigned as U.S. Director of National Intelligence, citing her husband’s rare bone cancer—though multiple reports say she was increasingly sidelined as Trump pushed harder on Iran and Venezuela. Caracas Drill: The U.S. carried out a rapid response exercise in Caracas, with Marines and aircraft flying over the reopened U.S. embassy; Venezuela’s government framed it as readiness for emergencies, while some residents protested “No to the Yankee drill.” Cuba Pressure Signals: Separate reporting says CIA Director John Ratcliffe brought a paramilitary operative tied to the Maduro capture during a rare Cuba meeting—another sign of Washington’s tightening posture toward Havana. Energy Pivot to India: As the Hormuz crisis strains global supply, Venezuela is now India’s third-largest crude supplier, and Marco Rubio is in India pitching energy exports while inviting Modi to the White House. Background Noise: The week also kept spotlight on Trump’s broader Iran strategy and the political fallout from Gabbard’s exit.