
Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, executed a sweeping restructuring of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) leadership. The changes, announced less than 24 hours after the appointment of Gustavo González López as the new Defense Minister replacing the veteran Vladímir Padrino, mark a significant shift in Caracas' power structure following months of institutional attrition.

Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López announced Friday a “review and adjustment” of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) following the January 3 US attacks, in which 47 Venezuelan soldiers were killed and President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured, EFE reported.

Control Ciudadano (Social Watch - CC) Chairwoman Rocío San Miguel said Guyanese President Irfaan Alí's recent statements regarding the military support of several countries to defend the Essequibo amounted to a “very strong warning for Venezuela,” which will hold a referendum on the matter on Dec. 3.

Venezuela's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Monday reported eight soldiers had died fighting a group of “terrorists” on the Colombian border. But after three weeks of clashes and 17 deaths, “the region is returning to normal.”

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has shuffled his military high command but Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, a general, kept his post.

The Venezuelan defense minister said that the Venezuelan Armed Forces condemn the Juan Guaido-led opposition's plans to re-join the Rio Treaty. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio Treaty) is “an instrument of domination and interventionism that goes against independence and sovereignty of peoples.”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday announced he will maintain Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino in his post, following months of rumors that top military brass would be replaced after a failed uprising in April.

The president of the Venezuelan Parliament, Juan Guaidó, asked on Saturday his diplomatic representative in the US, Carlos Vecchio, to meet with the leaders of the Southern Command of that country to coordinate possible military cooperation in the face of the Venezuelan crisis. Meanwhile, the minister of defense of the administration of Nicolás Maduro, Vladimir Padrino López, warned on the same day a provocation of a US Coast Guard vessel that sailed 20 kilometers away from La Guaira, the main port of Venezuela.

Demonstrators clashed violently with police on the streets of the Venezuelan capital on Tuesday, spurred by opposition leader Juan Guaido's call on the military to rise up against President Nicolas Maduro, whose government said it was putting down an attempted coup.

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.