President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela has tightened his personal security, including changing beds, and leaned on Cuba, a key ally, amid a growing threat of a U.S. military intervention in the country, according to multiple people close to the Venezuelan government.
They described an atmosphere of tension and concern gripping the president’s inner circle while adding that Mr. Maduro believed he remained in control and could ride out the latest and gravest threat to his 12-year rule.
Mr. Maduro has tried to protect himself from a potential precision strike or a special-forces raid by frequently changing sleeping locations and cellphones, the people said. Those precautions have accelerated since September, some of the people said, when the United States started amassing warships and striking boats the Trump administration claims were smuggling drugs from Venezuela.
To reduce the risk of betrayal, Mr. Maduro has also expanded the role of Cuban bodyguards in his personal security detail and attached more Cuban counterintelligence officers to Venezuela’s military, one of the people said.
In public, however, Mr. Maduro has sought to downplay Washington’s threats by conveying a nonchalant, relaxed appearance, showing up for public events unannounced, dancing, and posting propaganda videos on TikTok.
The seven people close to the Venezuelan government who were interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution or because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Venezuela’s Communication Ministry, which handles press inquiries for the government, did not respond to a request for comment for the article.
The Trump administration has accused Mr. Maduro of running a “narcoterrorist” cartel flooding the United States with drugs, and many current and former officials in Washington say the goal of the U.S. military buildup is regime change. But Mr. Trump has combined threats against Venezuela with suggestions of a diplomatic solution, and he and Mr. Maduro spoke by phone last month to discuss a possible meeting.
The New York Times has reported that Mr. Maduro and Mr. Trump’s envoys earlier this year discussed circumstances under which the Venezuelan leader, who lost a presidential election last year but ignored the results, may leave office. Those talks did not produce an agreement, leading the Trump administration to ramp up its military pressure.
As tensions with the United States have risen, Mr. Maduro has addressed the Venezuelan public almost daily, maintaining a public relations blitz that has characterized his rule in recent years. He has, however, reduced his participation in scheduled events and live broadcasts, replacing them with spontaneous public appearances and prerecorded messages.
