Venezuelan president's right-hand man evacuates his two youngest children to China via Russia under fake names amid rising international pressure on Maduro
- Diosdado Cabello, known to be the second most-powerful man in Venezuela behind President Nicolás Maduro, sent two of his three children to China
- Airline boarding passes showed different names for Cabello's daughter, Daniella Cabello, and his youngest son, Tito Cabello, raising suspicions
- Both children boarded the Havana to Beijing flight as Desiree Contreras and Tito Contreras, apparently using their mother's surname to hide their identities
- Daniella boarded the flight with a United States passport while Tito utilized Ugandan travel documents
- The siblings left Havana on Friday and made it to Moscow on Saturday before connecting to a Beijing-bound flight that touched down Sunday
- They then hopped on another flight to Shanghai on Monday morning
Venezuela's second-most powerful man has sent his children to China amid the possibility President Nicolás Maduro's government will crumble.
Diosdado Cabello, leader of Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly (ANC), whisked his daughter and his youngest son off on a plane to Shanghai over the weekend.
It immediately raised suspicions because his wife's surname - Contreras - was on the boarding passes.
Daniella Cabello, 22, boarded the plane with a US-issued passport as Desiree (her middle name) Contreras while his son Tito Cabello, 17, used a Ugandan passport and used the name Tito Contreras.
In recent days, it has been reported that several Maduro loyalists successfully arranged to have their immediate family members flee what once was considered one of the most economically powerful countries in South America.
The politician has three children.
In May 2018, the United States Department of Treasury issued sanctions against Cabello. A fortune of at least $800 million belonging to the Diosdado Cabello was either confiscated or frozen, according to the Miami Herald.
Tito Cabello (left) is pictured with his mother Marlenys Contreras (second from left), his father Diosdado Cabello (center) and his sister Daniella (second from right) and his older brother David Cabello (right)
Daniella Cabello (pictured) is the middle child of Diosdado Cabello. Her father flew her and her youngest brother to China on Friday as international pressure mounts on Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro's ruling socialist party
Boarding passes issued by Russian airline Aeroflot shows that Daniella and Tito Cabello flew under the names of Desiree and Tito Contreras
Airline ticketing also shows that the siblings made a short layover in Moscow before landing in Beijing. They eventually boarded another plane Monday and touched down in Shanghai
Ticketing receipts posted to social media confirmed the politician's children hopped on a Friday afternoon flight in Havana before making a short stop in Moscow on Saturday morning.
After a nearly two-hour layover, the siblings headed off to Beijing where they landed shortly after midnight Sunday.
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A search on Russian airline Aeroflot showed that Daniella and Tito Cabello then got on a Beijing to Shanghai flight at 10:40am local time and touched down a 1pm local time.
The reservation system indicates they're both scheduled to return to Havana on a one-stop flight March 12.
Daniella Cabello, who was deported from the U.S. in June 2018 after she tried to enter the country, has become a celebrity on social media and is dating Venezuelan singer Omar Acedo.
Diosdado Cabello (left) is the president of the Venezuelan National Constituent Assembly and widely considered as the second-most powerful man behind President Nicolás Maduro. He sent two of his three children to China on Friday
Daniella Cabello (pictured) is expected to return to Havana with her youngest brother March 12
Daniella (pictured front center) has become a sensation on social media and is reportedly dating Venezuelan singer Omar Acedo (pictured rear center)
Their destination choice was not a coincidence since China - and Russia - have been loyal supporters of the Maduro regime.
17-year-old Tito Cabello's (right) identity was reportedly switched to Tito Contreras on his boarding pass. He is pictured with his older brother, David Cabello (left)
On Monday, the Chinese foreign ministry declared it is opposed any interference by outside parties, a clear reference to the United States, Colombia, Brazil and almost 50 countries that don't recognize Maduro as Venezuela's leader.
China urged the ruling and opposition party, led by self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaidó, to iron out their differences at the table.
Venezuela was marred by clashes this weekend after the National Guard and police forces loyal to Maduro blocked trucks from crossing near the Brazilian and Colombian borders.
According to foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang, China is strictly against 'using the so-called humanitarian aid to serve political ends and stir up instability and even turmoil in Venezuela and its neighborhood, which is not in the interests of any party.'
Also on Monday, the United States announced it imposed sanctions on the governors of four Venezuelan states aligned with embattled President Maduro for standing in the way of humanitarian aid shipments.
