07 May Daniella Cabello: Nepotism, Power, and International Role in Nicolás Maduro’s Regime

By,

Jesús Daniel Romero, Co-Founder and Senior Fellow, MSI² & William Acosta, SME

Introduction

Nepotism serves as a cornerstone of Nicolás Maduro’s authoritarian governance model, enabling the consolidation of political power through familial loyalty rather than professional merit. Daniella Cabello—daughter of Diosdado Cabello, one of Chavismo’s most powerful figures—embodies this dynamic. Her ascension to strategic leadership roles despite lacking relevant qualifications reflects how personal connections outweigh experience within Venezuela’s ruling elite.

Profile and Career of Daniella Cabello

Daniella Desirée Cabello Contreras (b. 1992) is the daughter of Diosdado Cabello, Minister of the Interior and Vice President for Citizen Security, and Marleny Contreras, a former deputy and minister. Daniella’s early public roles included singing and co-hosting government events. She later appeared as a producer on Con el mazo dando, a propaganda show hosted by her father.

Her academic history is inconsistent. She began—but did not complete—political science studies at the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), and reportedly withdrew from Brazil’s Federal University for Latin American Integration (UNILA) before enrollment in 2016. In 2021, she received a Master of Science in National Security from the Bolivarian Military University of Venezuela, despite no publicly available records of an undergraduate degree, raising serious procedural concerns (Maduradas, 2021).

In March 2023, Cabello was appointed president of the Marca País Foundation. Six months later, she was named head of the Venezuelan Export Promotion Agency (APEV), a key entity for international trade. She also plays a leading role in Misión Venezuela Joven. Despite her limited background in public administration and trade policy, she has been entrusted with shaping Venezuela’s international image and economic outreach. She is married to singer and producer Omar Acedo and is mother to a young daughter.

Daniella Cabello has been sanctioned by the U.S. government for her alleged involvement in political repression and democratic subversion (BBC Mundo, 2024; Crónica Uno, 2024; Diario de Cuba, 2024; La Prensa, 2024).

Nepotism as a Strategy of Control

Her appointments illustrate a broader regime tactic: deploying family members in sensitive roles to minimize dissent and ensure loyalty. Rather than selecting technocrats or experienced professionals, Maduro’s regime prioritizes political trust, often within familial circles.

Daniella’s media-savvy persona allows her to serve as a counterweight to international criticism, projecting a sanitized image of Venezuela abroad. At the same time, her control over APEV and Marca País gives her access to foreign currency flows and export contracts—resources crucial to sustaining Chavismo under sanctions (DW, 2015; La Nación, 2015).

Systemic Impact of Nepotism

Nepotism in Venezuela undermines institutional integrity, restricts upward mobility, and excludes professionals without political connections. It erodes public trust, fuels corruption, and weakens administrative capability, contributing to state fragility and economic decay (DW, 2015; La Nación, 2015).

Education and Master’s Degree: Irregularities

Daniella Cabello’s admission into a postgraduate program without proof of a bachelor’s degree violates academic regulations. According to university standards—including those of UCV and the Military University—an undergraduate degree is a prerequisite for any master’s program. This case underscores the regime’s manipulation of academic institutions to confer unearned credentials upon political loyalists (Maduradas, 2021).

International Travel and Sanctions Evasion

Cabello frequently travels abroad—often with Vice President Delcy Rodríguez—on diplomatic missions to countries like China and Turkey. She plays a dual role: unofficial political supervisor and liaison, reporting directly to her father amid internal regime rivalries between the Cabello and Rodríguez factions (Diario Las Américas, 2025; YouTube, 2025).

Her selection for these missions is not based on merit but on her father’s influence. Despite being under U.S. sanctions, she continues international travel using diplomatic privileges, official aircraft, and carefully routed itineraries that bypass jurisdictions where enforcement is likely.

This reveals a critical weakness in the sanctions regime: symbolic pressure does not always translate into effective restriction. The use of state resources, alternate identities, and non-cooperating jurisdictions allows key regime figures to maintain their international operations (BBC Mundo, 2024; Diario Las Américas, 2025).

Final Reflection

Daniella Cabello’s career trajectory highlights how nepotism—strategically deployed—reinforces authoritarian stability in Venezuela. This prioritization of family loyalty over institutional merit contributes directly to the regime’s resilience while exacerbating dysfunction, inequality, and international isolation.

Her trajectory suggests the early stages of a political-criminal career shaped in the image of her father, Diosdado Cabello. Like him, she appears to be leveraging state structures, international platforms, and elite networks not for public service, but for personal and political gain.

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References 

BBC Mundo. (2024, November 27). EE.UU. sanciona a 21 altos funcionarios del gobierno de Venezuela. https://www.bbc.com/mundo/articles/cx24dl8ej9qo 

Crónica Uno. (2024, November 27). EE.UU. sanciona a 21 colaboradores de Maduro. https://cronica.uno/ee-uu-sanciona-a-21-colaboradores-de-maduro-entre-ellos-la-hija-de-diosdado-cabello/ 

Diario de Cuba. (2024, November 28). EEUU sanciona a la hija de Diosdado Cabello en el nuevo paquete. https://diariodecuba.com/internacional/1732821161_58584.html 

Diario Las Américas. (2025, May 5). La guerra interna entre Diosdado Cabello y Delcy Rodríguez y el rol de las sanciones de EE.UU. https://www.diariolasamericas.com/america-latina/la-guerra-interna-diosdado-cabello-y-delcy-rodriguez-y-el-rol-las-sanciones-eeuu-n5374355 

DW. (2015, August 4). Venezuela, ¿nepotismo bolivariano? https://www.dw.com/es/venezuela-nepotismo-bolivariano/a-18626131 

La Nación. (2015, April 19). Tres familias manejan el poder en Venezuela. https://www.lanacion.com.ar/el-mundo/tres-familias-manejan-el-poder-en-venezuela-nid1785778/ 

La Prensa. (2024, November 29). Daniella Cabello, la hija del hombre fuerte del chavismo sancionada por EEUU. https://www.laprensa.hn/fotogalerias/mundo/daniella-cabello-hija-diosdado-sancionada-eeuu-DK22935143 

Maduradas. (2021, July 15). ¡LE MOSTRAMOS! Así fue el acto de graduación de Daniella Cabello. https://maduradas.com/le-mostramos-asi-fue-acto-graduacion-daniella-cabello-le-otorgaron-la-medalla-padrino-lopez-junto-diosdado-marlene-contreras-fotos/ 

Wikipedia. (2025, March 3). Daniella Cabello. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniella_Cabello 

YouTube. (2025, April 29). Mientras los venezolanos pasan trabajo, Daniella Cabello viaja por el mundo con Delcy Rodríguez. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjZEq1ZnO0E 

YouTube. (2025, April 26). Lo hicieron Delcy y Daniella Cabello | #evtv. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B9n7a-78Dg