Caracas, Oct 14 (EFE).- The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, This Monday, Vladimir Padrino López, in office since October 2014, was ratified as Minister of Defense. At the same time, he renewed part of the leadership of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) and other organizations.
The head of state also confirmed Domingo Hernández Lárez, recently sanctioned by the United States, as strategic operational commander of the FANB.
And Telegram, Maduro reported the appointment of Johan Hernández Lárez as general commander of the Army, Ashraf Abdel Hadi Suleimán Gutiérrez as head of the Navy and Lenín Ramírez as commander of the Military Aviation, while he ratified the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB, militarized police). to Elío Estrada Paredes.
Johan Hernández Lárez and Estrada Paredes are also part of the group of 16 officials, according to the US, “aligned with Maduro”, sanctioned last month by the US Treasury, which accuses them of obstructing “a competitive and inclusive presidential electoral process in Venezuela and violated the civil and human rights of the people.
On the other hand, Maduro appointed Orlando Romero commander of the Bolivarian Militia, replacing Javier Tábata, starting today at the head of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim).
Likewise, he designated head of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (Sebin) to Alexis Rodríguez Cabelloappointed in December of last year the sole authority of Guayana Esequiba, as Caracas calls the territory in dispute with Guyana, for which, for the moment, no replacement has been announced.
«I thank those who carried out their work during all this time in the face of the important responsibilities that they carried out impeccably, and I wish success to those who are called to serve. The mission is the same: to continue guaranteeing independence, security and peace,” said Maduro.
Padrino López, sanctioned by the US since 2018, is the most senior minister of Maduro’s Executive, who came to power in 2013 and was proclaimed by the National Electoral Council (CNE) in the elections on July 28 as re-elected president. for a third consecutive six-year term, a result questioned inside and outside the Caribbean country.
Maduro announces these changes when the country is experiencing a political crisis unleashed after his controversial second re-election, considered fraudulent by the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), which claims the victory of its standard-bearer, Edmundo González Urrutia, exiled in Spain.
This Sunday, opposition leader María Corina Machado asked the FANB not to “endorse” “a regime that is on its way out,” in reference to the Government of President Maduro, whom, according to the former deputy, the people “widely defeated” on the 28th. July, when he claims that González Urrutia won.
In August, the FANB ratified its “absolute loyalty and subordination” to Maduro, despite the fact that the Constitution states that the Armed Forces are an institution “without political militancy” that is “at the exclusive service of the nation and, in no case, to the of any person or political partiality.
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