Maduro's regime expels and degrades the military, but does not stop the plot in Venezuela's armed forces

This is not the first time that Nicolás Maduro orders the degradation and expulsion of officers of the National Armed Forces Bolivarian (FANB). Following the military demonstration in favor of Juan Guaidó on April 30 ordered the degradation and expulsion of the military institution of 55 militaryheaded by the General Division Manuel Cristopher Figuera, who was at the head of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN).

Although the Organic Code of Military Justice states that an officer deserves to be deported and degraded, it is the accessory sentence to the main offense that said officer committed and for which he has been tried.

This is the fifth time Maduro opts for this option., trying to end the internal crisis that the armed forces are going through, but which seems to be failing, because there are more and more members.

The most notable lists are the previous three. The first was 11 soldiers for the Barlovento mbadacre. The rest for political reasons: the second of 24, the third of 116 and the fourth of 13 senior officials.

In addition, there have been two very specific cases of this sanction of degradation and expulsion from the military institution. One was the lieutenant of aviation Ronald Alirio Dugarte Silva, who testified before the Organization of American States, where he presented testimonies and videos of the torture of detainees at the Military Counterintelligence Branch. The other was the case of the lieutenant colonel Ovidio Carrasco Mosqueda, member of the Presidential Guard and Chief of Communications, who was removed from office and expelled from the armed forces, and placed at the disposal of the Directorate General of Military Intelligence (DGCIM), in charge of provide information to MP Julio Borges.

Although the demotion and expulsion lists have been a resource to punish those who face the Venezuelan government, it's become a useless resource it does not seem to stop the military at all against the government.

In November 2016, the government of Nicolás Maduro published the first list of expelled and degraded soldiers of the armed force. The alleged people involved in the Barlovento mbadacre are members of the army who were part of a group of patrols and patrol techniques deployed in the area.

This is the only time the reasons were not political. There were 11 soldiers who participated in the killing of 12 people, arrested by the army on October 16 in Barlovento and confined to the basement of a farm located in El Café, near Capaya (Miranda). Three days later, their bodies were found in two graves located in Aragüita and El Café.

In a statement, the Ministry of Defense announced that the degradation and expulsion of the two officers and nine members of the Professional Troop of the Caribbean Battalion had been ordered ",to have violated with his behavior the values ​​and principles that represent us"

The lieutenant colonel of the army, José Ángel Rojas Córdovacommander of the Caribbean Camacaro 323 battalion and leader of the supposed operation where they mbadacred the 13 victims, he was the highest ranking officer expelled and degradedwith Major Luis Eduardo Romero Arcia, Captain Eduardo Contreras, Third Sergeant Major Miguel Rodríguez Rodríguez; first sergeants Orlando Maceli, Rafael Ruiz Acevedo, Luis Figuera Salazar, Francisco Rivas Salazar and Romy Antón Antón; the two other corporals Arquímedes José Agüey and Luis Machado Márquez, and the first Corporal Fabián Rangel Rangel.

On 28 February 2018, Decree No. 2,399 was published in the Official Gazette No. 41,350, which reflects the measure of degradation and expulsion from the FANB, without prior judgment, of 13 senior officers, among whom the government considered its fiercest enemies: that of higher rank, General Raul Isaías Baduel, then Major-General Hebert Josué García Plaza, Major General Jesus Alberto Milano Mendoza, vice admirals Mario Iván Carratú Molina and Carlos Rafael Molina Tamayo, Brigadier Generals Ángel Omar Vivas Perdomo, Antonio José Rivero González, Ramón Antonio Lozada Saavedra and Eduardo José Báez Torrealba, Colonel Antonio Ramón Semprúm Valecillos, Captain, Leamsy José Salazar Villafa, Captains GNB Juan Carlos Caguaripano Scott and Javier Enrique Nieto Quintero.

They were also included 11 first lieutenants: Marco Antonio Briceño Camacho, Luis Alejandro Mogollon Velázquez, José Ángel Rodríguez Araña, Luis Alejandro Mogollón Velázquez, Daniel Vásquez Guillén Eliezer, José Luis Gonogález Boraños, José Luis Gonogalo, Article 2 and Jefferson Gabriel García Dos Ramos.

In Decree 3.776 published in the Official Journal of 27 February 2019, Special Number 6.430, The list of 116 army professionals expelled and degraded for supporting Juan Guaidó appears and having recognized him as commander-in-chief of the FANB.

The list is chaired by the colonels Pedro José Chirinos Dorante and Rubén Alberto Paz Jiménez. Then come the elders, including Parra Martinez, followed by lieutenants and sergeants.

These soldiers have crossed into Colombian territory to support the entrance of humanitarian aid. The decree emphasizes that the decision "necessarily implies the loss of the diploma and national decorations, without prejudice to the actions and consequences arising from the corresponding procedure known to the competent authorities".

In the Official Gazette No. 41602 of March 20, 2019, Decree No. 3,786 is published, by which Nicolás Maduro degrades and expels 13 soldiers, being of senior rank the MG Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios, GD Carlos Alberto Rotondaro Cova, the signs of the ship Lauriduar Josefina Lara Acosta and Enyury Alejandra Segovia Rodriguez, Tte Hugo Jose Villarroel Martinez, the SM3 Delfin Antonio Rodriguez, the recipient Albertty Polichetti Servitá, Jesús Guillermo González Fuenmayor and Carlos Eduardo Zapata, the second sergeant Jesús Manuel Segueri Gainza, Ricardo Fonseca David Mosquera, Leyder Jose Mora Velasco and Silvio Manuel Espinoza Sotillo.