MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Maduro makes major military brass reshuffle

Padrino López has been Defense Minister since October 2014

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros announced Monday that he was keeping Vladimir Padrino López as Defense Minister but was otherwise making a major reshuffle within the Bolivarian Armed Forces' brass, including the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM) and the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin). Padrino López has been Defense Minister since October 2014.

In addition to López, also remaining in his post was General Domingo Antonio Hernández Larez, Strategic Operational Commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (Ceofanb), who was sanctioned by the United States in the past few days. His brother Johan was appointed Army General Commander of the Army, while Admiral Ashraf Andel Hadi Suleimán Gutiérrez will be heading the Navy, and Major General Lenín Lorenzo Ramírez Villasmil was chosen to head the Air Force.

Johan Hernández Lárez and Bolivarian National Guard (GNB, militarized police) Chief Elio Estrada Paredes are among the 16 officers “aligned with Maduro” who were sanctioned last month by the US Treasury for obstructing “a competitive and inclusive presidential electoral process in Venezuela,” They were also found to have “violated the civil and human rights of the people.”

In charge of the DGCIM and the Presidential Honor Guard was appointed Major General Javier Marcano Tábata, while at the helm of Sebin head is now Major General Alexis Rodríguez Cabello, a man linked to Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.

Maduro's announcements came after a wave of arrests in recent weeks in the Armed Forces leadership, including those of General Vidal José Francisco Coraspe, Brigadier General Saúl Rafael Somoza Gámez, and Bolivarian National Guard Chief Ramón Antonio Cruells Martínez, and Anzoátegui Police Coordinator Jesús José García Rivero.

In lieu of Tábata as head of the Bolivarian Militia, Maduro appointed Orlando Romero.

Alexis Rodríguez Cabello's replacement as governor “in exile” of Guayana Essequiba is yet to be appointed.

“I thank those who fulfilled their work during all this time in front of the important responsibilities they carried out in an impeccable manner, and I augur success to those who are called to serve. The mission is the same: to continue guaranteeing independence, security, and peace”, Maduro said.

In this scenario, opposition leader María Corina Machado asked the FANB not to endorse a regime that was “on its way out.”