Acting President Delcy Rodriguez said on Wednesday that General Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez will take over the role of defense minister from General Vladimir Padrino, who has occupied the post for more than 11 years.
In a post on Telegram, Rodriguez expressed gratitude to Padrino for his service and loyalty to the homeland and indicated that Padrino would be reassigned to new responsibilities.
Padrino’s early role included directing the ceremonial section of the presidential guard during the presidency of the late Hugo Chavez. His profile rose significantly under President Nicolas Maduro, who appointed him defense minister in late 2014.
Some sources said Padrino had been expected to be replaced and noted that he had been retained following the U.S. capture of Maduro to help preserve stability within the armed forces. The same accounts highlighted the structure of Venezuela’s military leadership, where about 2,000 generals oversee fragmented contingents of poorly-paid troops as well as sizeable business interests.
This leadership change was announced succinctly by Rodriguez and framed as both a recognition of Padrino’s past service and a transition toward new duties for him. The statement did not provide details about the specific new responsibilities that Padrino will assume.
The reported retention of Padrino after a disruptive event involving Maduro was described by sources as a measure intended to maintain continuity and steadiness across the military. The description of the armed forces in the accounts emphasizes the number of senior officers and the combination of military command and commercial activities under their control.
Beyond the announcement and the brief background on Padrino’s rise, the communication from the acting president did not elaborate on further personnel changes, the timeline for Gonzalez Lopez’s assumption of duties, or how the reassignment of Padrino will be operationalized.
Summary
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez announced that General Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez will replace long-serving Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino. Rodriguez thanked Padrino in a Telegram post and said he will be assigned new responsibilities. Padrino, who once led the presidential guard under Hugo Chavez, was elevated to defense minister by Nicolas Maduro in late 2014. Sources report Padrino had been kept in place following the U.S. capture of Maduro to help ensure stability in a military led by some 2,000 generals who command fragmented troops and significant business interests.