Armed Forces of Venezuela recognize Delcy Rodríguez as their commander-in-chief

Caracas.- The acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, was recognized this Wednesday as commander-in-chief of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) of Venezuela, 25 days after the United States captured President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas along with his wife, Cilia Flores, and transferred them to New York. In an act broadcast by the state channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), the different components of the FANB, led by the Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López; the Minister of Interior and Justice, Diosdado Cabello; and the President of the Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, swore allegiance to the Chavista leader. Delcy Rodríguez, who said this was a “symbolic” act, made the FANB swear “before God” that they will honor “the sacred oath to defend the homeland, its Constitution, its laws and its institutions until losing their lives if necessary”.

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In the act, the acting president asked this Wednesday the military and police to defend the “future and peace” of the country: “We are going to win, we are going to defend the future together and guarantee lasting peace.”

Declaration of “absolute” loyalty

Previously, Cabello expressed to Rodríguez the “absolute loyalty” of the security agencies, emphasizing that defending the management of the acting president “is defending the continuity of the Government and the integrity of the Venezuelan people”. The official stated that the police forces respond with “unity” to “the darkness that those who violated our sovereignty intend to impose,” three weeks after the U.S. military attack in which they captured the president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, congresswoman Cilia Flores.

“Our loyalty to the national Constitution, and to its acting president, is absolute, because we understand that defending her management is defending the continuity of the Government and the integrity of the Venezuelan people,” Cabello indicated. In his speech, which he gave on behalf of all police and intelligence agencies, the number two of Chavismo assured that he recognizes Rodriguez as “commander in chief” of the armed forces and also of “the police forces”.

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In the same vein, Padrino López swore on behalf of the FANB “loyalty and absolute subordination” to the acting president and handed over the “command baton” of the country, in an act attended by 3,200 “combatants”. “We swear allegiance and absolute subordination to citizen Delcy Rodríguez as the acting president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,” sentenced the Minister of Defense.

Relations with the U.S.

Rodríguez assumed the functions of the Executive on January 5, when she was sworn in by the President of Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, in compliance with an order from the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ). The acting president has indicated that the country is beginning a new “political moment” and has announced an “exploratory” process to resume relations with the United States, which includes the sale of Venezuelan crude oil.

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This Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the U.S. Congress that the Donald Trump Administration is not preparing, nor does it intend to execute a new attack on Venezuelan territory, but did not rule out “the use of force” to compel the Venezuelan interim government to collaborate.

Trump has demanded “full access” to Venezuela’s oil, and recently stated that the government in charge of Rodríguez has demonstrated “very strong leadership”.