Venezuela's interior minister Diosdado Cabello, widely regarded as Nicolás Maduro's second in command, said Monday that U.S. military pressure and recent actions by Washington will not disrupt holiday celebrations in Venezuela.
Speaking during a televised ceremony for the delivery of vehicles to police forces, Cabello said that despite months of tension with the United States, "they are not going to spoil Christmas or New Year's for us. They can't, because of all the things we have endured and all the things they have tried against this people."
Cabello referred to what he described as 27 weeks of "imperial madness," citing "harassment, threats, attacks, persecution, robberies, piracy and killings," as Spain's ABC reports. His comments appeared to reference U.S. operations against boats Washington says are linked to drug trafficking, operations that U.S. officials say have resulted in more than 100 deaths, as well as the seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers.
"They don't like dignified people, people who demand respect," Cabello added. "They like submissive people, people who crawl, and the Venezuelan people were not born that way."
Cabello did not, however, address reports Trump's recent claim that the U.S. destroyed a "large facility" linked to drug trafficking along the Venezuelan coastline. Trump has not specified whether that operation took place inside Venezuelan territory, and U.S. authorities have not formally confirmed the strike.
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In recent weeks, Cabello has repeatedly urged supporters of the government to remain calm amid escalating rhetoric from Washington. On November 18, he warned Venezuelans not to "overestimate" the United States as an adversary, saying, "no one should underestimate any opponent, but neither should they overestimate them. Nerves of steel. Stay calm."
Cabello has also rejected growing rumors of negotiated political transitions away from Maduro. Speaking in mid-November, he said that any dialogue must begin with recognition of the current government and Venezuela's constitution. "The only negotiation is that they respect this Constitution because there were elections and Maduro won," Cabello said at the time, adding that speculation about a transition would not affect the country's end-of-year plans and that January holidays would proceed normally despite political tensions.
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