A dramatic video that spread rapidly across social media over the weekend appears to show Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello in a heated confrontation with a member of an American search-and-rescue team after Cabello allegedly prevented the group from assisting victims of last week’s catastrophic earthquakes.

Cabello, who is wanted by U.S. authorities on multiple narcotics-related terrorism charges, remains one of the most influential figures in Venezuela’s socialist government and oversees much of the regime’s internal security and enforcement apparatus.

WATCH:

⚠️ Diosdado impide paso a rescatistas de EEUU durante despliegue en La Guaira

📢 El ministro del Interior chavista, Diosdado Cabello, bloqueó el paso de un vehículo donde se desplazaba un grupo de rescatistas estadounidenses durante un operativo en La Guaira, mientras insistía… pic.twitter.com/lUaW92WZE8

— EVTV (@EVTVMiami) June 29, 2026

American search and rescue teams continue to work day and night alongside our partners in Venezuela to save lives, reunite families, and bring hope and support where it’s needed most. pic.twitter.com/sV5AbI8hBs

— Department of State (@StateDept) June 28, 2026

Presidenta (E) Delcy Rodríguez lideró encuentro con brigadas de rescatistas internacionales pic.twitter.com/Z97ND2LXVr

— Miraflores Al Momento (@AlMomento_M) June 28, 2026

In his role as interior minister, Cabello has been deeply involved in the government’s response to the powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela last Wednesday. The disaster has claimed the lives of at least 1,400 people, while thousands more remain injured or unaccounted for.

The hardest-hit region was the northern state of La Guaira, where most of the nearly 800 buildings that suffered partial or total collapse were located.

According to La Estrella de Panama, footage widely shared online shows Cabello engaged in an argument with a man identified as a member of the U.S. rescue delegation. During the exchange, the American is heard pleading, “There is somebody right over there that we’re trying to help,” while Cabello continues to dispute the situation.

A second video published by the Miami-based outlet El Venezolano TV appears to capture the same incident from another perspective. Near the conclusion of the recording, the American official remarks, “I’m not happy with this situation.”

Venezuelan journalist and Breitbart News contributor Emmanuel Rincón said unnamed sources told him the confrontation lasted several minutes and that Cabello allegedly “even hitting a vehicle” during the dispute.

As of press time, the Venezuelan government has not issued any public statement addressing the viral videos or the reported confrontation.

The incident comes as the government, now headed by “acting President” Delcy Rodríguez, faces mounting criticism over its handling of the earthquake disaster. Critics argue that years of corruption and economic mismanagement have left Venezuela incapable of responding effectively to a catastrophe of this magnitude, forcing residents to conduct rescue efforts with limited equipment and resources.

Even the left-leaning New York Times reported Sunday that Rodríguez has faced accusations of politicizing the disaster response and attempting to use the tragedy for political advantage. Reports published last week alleged that government officials have obstructed civilian-led humanitarian efforts, insisting that only local socialist authorities and members of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) are “authorized” to accept and distribute relief supplies.

State-controlled media have portrayed Rodríguez as leading the country’s emergency response. At the same time, however, the United States, along with several other countries—including El Salvador and Mexico—has dispatched rescue teams and humanitarian assistance to search for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings, particularly in La Guaira.

On Saturday evening, Rodríguez reportedly called international search-and-rescue teams away from their operations to attend an official government ceremony.

Venezuelan media reported that Rodríguez acknowledged during the event that rescue personnel were being temporarily pulled from lifesaving work, telling them, “We wanted to briefly step you away from your tasks, which we know are vital, to thank you on behalf of the Venezuelan people. We are in the critical hours for saving lives.”

The ceremony quickly drew criticism from many Venezuelans, who questioned the decision to interrupt rescue operations during the crucial window when survivors are most likely to be found alive.

The region now known as La Guaira was formerly called Vargas until Venezuela’s socialist government renamed it as part of what it described as a decolonization effort, replacing the name that honored José María Vargas, the nation’s first civilian president.

{Matzav.com}