Venezuela Military Shakeup: Delcy Rodríguez Appoints New Commanders After Maduro Capture Claims
Caracas – – Delcy Rodríguez, the acting president of Venezuela, has completed a significant overhaul of the nation’s military leadership, replacing key commanders across all branches of the Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana (FANB). The changes, announced on Thursday, reach just over two months after the capture of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. Authorities in January, amidst a period of heightened political uncertainty within the country.
The reshuffle, detailed in a series of social media posts by Rodríguez, sees the appointment of a new “high military command” that will work alongside Gustavo González López, recently named Minister of Defense in place of Vladimir Padrino López, who held the position since 2014 and was in office at the time of Maduro’s capture. Rodríguez stated that the new military leadership, characterized by a “firm commitment and patriotic loyalty,” will guarantee “the sovereignty, peace, stability and territorial integrity” of Venezuela.
Major General Rafael Prieto Martínez, previously the Inspector General of the military, has been appointed as the new head of the Strategic Operational Command of the National Armed Force (CEOFANB). This command is responsible for the planning, programming, direction, execution, and control of military operations, as well as coordinating the various components of the FANB – the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, and Militia. Prieto Martínez replaces General in Chief Domingo Hernández Lárez, who was sanctioned by the United States in 2024.
Further appointments include Major General Jesús Villamizar Gómez as second-in-command of the CEOFANB. Villamizar Gómez previously commanded the Central Strategic Defense Integral Region (REDI) Central, covering the states of Aragua, Carabobo, and Yaracuy. Dilio Rodríguez Díaz has been named the new Inspector General, replacing Prieto Martínez.
The changes extend beyond the top command structure. Major General Rubén Belzares Escobar now leads the Army, succeeding Johan Hernández Lárez, who was also sanctioned by the U.S. In September 2024, accused of obstructing the presidential election and violating civil and human rights. Admiral Jorge Agüero Montes is the new Commander General of the Navy, replacing Ashraf Andel Hadi Suleimán Gutiérrez. Agüero Montes previously served as head of the Nueva Esparta Operational Defense Zone.
The Air Force is now under the command of Major General Royman Hernández Briceño, who takes over from Lenín Ramírez Villasmil. Hernández Briceño, formerly head of the Los Llanos Strategic Defense Integral Region, publicly denounced the U.S. Operation to capture Maduro in January as “illegal and imprudent.”
Major General Juan Sulbarán Quintero, previously tasked by Maduro with coordinating recovery efforts following a deadly landslide in Las Tejerías in 2022, will lead the National Guard, replacing Elio Estrada Paredes, another official sanctioned by the United States. Major General Nayade Lockiby Belmonte will head the Militia, succeeding Orlando Romero Bolívar.
Notably, all of the previous commanders were appointed by Maduro in October 2024, during a period of political crisis following his disputed re-election and the refusal of the electoral council to publish voting records.
These sweeping changes follow earlier personnel shifts announced in January, when Rodríguez appointed commanders to the Andes and Eastern Strategic Defense Regions, as well as over a dozen Operational Defense Zones across the country. She has also made numerous appointments within her cabinet, including the portfolios of Communication, Electric Energy, Transportation, and Labor.
The moves by Rodríguez coincide with a broader effort to open up key sectors of the Venezuelan economy, including oil and mining, to foreign investment, and signal a growing rapprochement with the United States. , the Venezuelan Armed Forces formally expressed their support for Rodríguez following Maduro’s capture, recognizing her as commander-in-chief in a ceremony at the Fuerte Tiuna military complex in Caracas. The backing from the military came less than a month after Maduro’s capture in a U.S. Operation.
The restructuring of the FANB represents a consolidation of power by Rodríguez as she navigates a complex political landscape following Maduro’s removal. The appointments of individuals with demonstrated loyalty, and the replacement of those sanctioned by the U.S., suggest a deliberate effort to align the military with her leadership and to address concerns about potential opposition or external interference. The extent to which these changes will stabilize the situation in Venezuela, and the long-term implications for the country’s relationship with the United States, remain to be seen.