MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Who is Padrino López, Maduro’s strong man

They must “pass over corpses” to impose “a puppet government,” the Chavista general responded to President Trump and “his threat.”

After the strong support of the armed forces to the president, Nicolás Maduro, highlighted the figure of Vladimir Padrino López, the Defense Minister of that country, who responded to the president of the United States, Donald Trump, after his remarks on Monday about the danger that ran the military that was next to the Venezuelan leader.

They will have to “pass over corpses” to impose “a puppet government,” said the Bolivarian soldier. Padrino López is one of the strong men of the regime. Apart from leading this ministry, he also holds the position of general in chief of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), which implies that only Maduro is above him. Chávez's trusted man, he was born in Caracas in May 1963, studied at the “Pedro Manuel Ruiz School” and graduated from the military academy in 1984, graduating in Military Sciences and Arts. From then on, a growing military career began.

In his beginnings he was sent to the US state of Georgia to do a psychological operations course, after which he wrote a book called “Procedure of Operations Preparation” that is key for those who study in the academies of the Armed Forces. from Venezuela. But his name became known in 2002 when he would become a trusted figure for the late former President, Hugo Chávez. That year, he commanded a military group that faced the coup against the former president, when the opposition tried to overthrow him.

From then on, the current general of the FANB promoted his political-military career, as he is named second Army commander and chief of staff of the institution on July 5, 2012. According to an interview with HispanTV, he is a fervent follower of the disappeared former president.

“He was the refounder of the FANB, he is a guide, a light, a star for the Armed Forces,” he said. “Chávez is not a political party, Chávez is not an entelechy. Chávez is a military, political, economic doctrine. That is Chávez,” he also said in a speech before the National Assembly, reaffirming his convictions, which has allowed him to be a long-time participant in the“ Chavez ”government.

Chávez died, he remained linked to the government of his successor, Nicolás Maduro, staying in the front line of confidence assuming in 2014 the Defense portfolio. That influence became clear in 2016 when Maduro designated him as the man in charge of the “Great Mission of Sovereign and Secure Supply”, to solve the shortage problems that were presented - and continues to present - Venezuela. With its creation, it was sought that the FANB distributed food, medicines and other basic products to combat the crisis. It should be noted that when appointing Padrino López to the command of this plan, all the ministers of all the portfolios came under his subordination.

“It's not a matter of militarizing. I do not like militarism. It is about putting a little discipline, ”he said when taking this position in response to the use of the Armed Forces. in these labors. According to the BBC, Padrino was very criticized in his assumption in the military corps, since it would have favored the politicization of the FANB.