Minister Vladimir Padrino rejects the “desperate” calls of the Venezuelan opposition

In a context of growing political tension, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) has come forward to reaffirm its loyalty to President Nicolás Maduro and reject a recent statement from the opposition Edmundo Gonzalez and Maria Corina Machado.

Official rejection of the FANB

Venezuelan Defense Minister, Vladimir Godfather Lopezand all the commanders of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces have signed a statement in which they strongly condemn the statement by Edmundo González, who declared himself president-elect, as well as the statements by opposition leader María Corina Machado. Padrino López described the proposals of González and Machado as “seditious and desperate” and stressed the loyalty of the armed forces to the Maduro government.

“These foolish and irrational calls seek to undermine our unity and institutionality, but they will never succeed,” Padrino added.

“We reaffirm our absolute loyalty to citizen Nicolás Maduro Moros (…), who has been legitimately reelected by the people’s power for the next presidential term 2025-2031,” he added.

The Prosecutor’s Office opened a criminal investigation on Monday against González and Machado for alleged “incitement to insurrection,” among other crimes, after his letter.

Reaction of the opposition

Edmundo González, in a call to the FANB, requested respect for the election results, while María Corina Machado, through an audio, thanked the participants in the elections and urged to continue with the peaceful protestsMachado stressed the importance of not being paralyzed by fear and maintaining mobilization in the streets.

Situation of detainees

In the midst of the political crisis, the relatives of opposition leader Freddy Superlano have confirmed that he is being held in the Helicoide, a feared headquarters of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN). Aurora Silva, Superlano’s wife revealed that, after a week of uncertainty, her location with journalist Roland Carreño has been confirmed, “Today, 7 days have passed, and they confirmed to me that he is being held there.”

The mother of the Human rights defender Edni Lópezwho disappeared from Simón Bolívar International Airport, has also expressed her anguish. Ninoska Barrios, Edni’s mother, has stated that she was only able to see her daughter briefly during her transfer to court and reiterated her innocence in the face of the accusations.

International reactions and statistics

USA has declared that the opposition won the elections, although it has not yet recognized Edmundo González as president. For its part, the Penal Forum has reported at least 1,102 detainees, of which 109 are minors. The NGO Monitor has documented at least 24 deaths related to the protests that have erupted since the election.

In this complex and tense panorama, the situation in Venezuela remains volatile, with each side sticking to its guns as the country faces a period of uncertainty and conflict.