The elected president of the U.S., Donald Trump, announced on Wednesday the appointments of Marco Rubio as the next Secretary of State, Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, and Matt Gaetz as Attorney General. Rubio, a senator from Florida and of Cuban descent, would be the first Hispanic to hold the position of Secretary of State.
Rubio, known for being a 'hawk' in foreign policy, has shown strong positions towards China, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. During Trump's first term, Rubio acted as an advisor to the Republican on matters related to Latin America.
Rubio's nomination has generated interest among the Venezuelan opposition, especially among leaders like María Corina Machado, who praised the senator's understanding of the threats posed by regimes such as those in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela in the hemisphere.
As for Matt Gaetz, the nomination as Attorney General has been controversial due to previous accusations of sex trafficking a 17-year-old minor. Although the Department of Justice closed the investigation without charges against him in 2023, the House Ethics Committee still maintains inquiries regarding the matter.
The former Democrat Tulsi Gabbard was proposed as Director of National Intelligence. Gabbard, a war veteran and former member of the House from Hawaii, showed a change in her political affiliation by registering as a Republican in 2022 after having been a Democrat.
As Director of National Intelligence, Gabbard will oversee U.S. intelligence agencies and the FBI's intelligence divisions. Her military background and incursions into war zones in the Middle East and Africa have shaped her political career. After leaving the Democratic Party, Gabbard has moved closer to conservative sectors, participating in media programs such as Fox News.
