Cuban Intelligence Shields Maduro: "No-Phone" Protocols Enforced Amid Escalating U.S. Naval Blockade

As tensions between Venezuela and the United States reach a boiling point, the Wall Street Journal reports that Cuban counter-intelligence units have taken full charge of President Nicolás Maduro’s security. To prevent surveillance leaks, a strict ban on smartphones and electronic devices has been imposed on Maduro’s inner circle.

This heightened security coincides with aggressive maneuvers by U.S. forces under Donald Trump’s administration, including the seizure of a third oil tanker in the Caribbean. Following the confiscation of over one million barrels of oil and the detention of the Panama-flagged vessel "Bella 1," experts warn of a looming energy collapse in Cuba. Former U.S. diplomat Thomas A. Shannon emphasized that Cuba's presence in Caracas is a fight for survival, as the island's power grid remains critically dependent on Venezuelan crude.