Maduro has expelled 56 soldiers involved in the insurgency missed

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has expelled the former head of the political police and 55 other soldiers accused of being involved in the failed military uprising on April 30, led by the leader of the opposition Juan Guaidó.

As part of the aftermath that led to the uprising, Maduro ordered the expulsion and degradation of Major General Manuel Figuera, former head of the Bolivian National Intelligence Service (Sebin), five lieutenant-colonels, four commanders, six captains 36 sergeants, announced Wednesday the official newspaper.

Illich Sanchez, lieutenant-colonel of the National Guard, was in charge of the command to protect the National Assembly, controlled by the opposition. Sanchez was one of the officers who accompanied Guaidó to the outskirts of the air base of Generalissimo Francisco Miranda, where the uprising took place.

The Brazilian authorities confirmed last week that 25 Venezuelan soldiers had fled after the uprising to their embbady in Caracas without giving further details.

So far, the government has not revealed where the 56 rebels were, while the local humanitarian organization Foro Penal denounced the day before the disappearance of a group of soldiers who had participated in the uprising.

Maduro's decision is seen as an attempt to stop new uprisings and alleviate the political and military crisis that was uncovered after the uprising and which seemed to have reached the pinnacle of the hierarchy and some government figures.

The United States yesterday lifted the sanctions against the former chief of the political police, an action taken in Venezuela to incite other Maduro allies to rebel against the leader.

The departure of Figuera from the direction of the Sebin was announced on April 30 after the failure of the military uprising. Then, without giving more details, Maduro announced that General-in-Chief Gustavo González López was back at the address.

Figuera had badumed the leadership of the Sebin in October after the dismissal of González López.