Venezuelan military top declared disobedience and recognized as president Juan Guaidó – 20/02/2019

A senior officer of the Armed Forces of Venezuela he declared himself disobedient against President Nicolás Maduro Tuesday night, encouraging versions about the discomfort among the military. In the next hours, the army will play a crucial role in the struggle between the government and the opposition for the entry of humanitarian aid into the country.

Colonel Pedro Chirinos Dorante, who identified himself as Military Advisor to the Permanent Mission of Venezuela to the United Nations, announced in a video broadcast on social networks that he had declared himself "disobedient" against the Maduro government.

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Dressed in an olive military suit and a black beret, between two flags (Venezuela and UN) and with a photo of the Liberator Simón Bolívar in the background, Chirinos DORANTE offered his subordination to the "transitional government" of the Speaker of the National Assembly and Leader of the Opposition, Juan Guaidó, who declared himself president in charge of the South American country at the end of January.

Until now, the authorities have not commented on the case.

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Dorante Chirinos This is the fourth high command, without troop management, who rebels against Maduro in less than a month.

In late January, the military attache of the Venezuelan Embbady in Washington, Colonel of the National Guard José Luis Silva, announced that he did not know Maduro. This statement was followed this month by Francisco Esteban Yánez Rodríguez, from the Strategic Planning Directorate of the Air Command, and by that of the active Colonel Rubén Paz Jiménez.

The statements of Chirinos Dorante come a few hours after the declaration of the Chief Minister of Defense, General Vladimir Padrino López, who has ratified the support of the armed forces in Maduro and discarded that uniforms will yield to international pressure.

Since the beginning of the crisis in January, the High Command has presented several statements of support to Maduro. In recent weeks, the president has multiplied his appearances in acts of the army, which has become the main support of his government in the midst of growing popular discontent.

Despite the support of the High Command, there is still uncertainty as to whether this position is supported by middle and lower level officials, who have been hit hard by the economic crisis that is shaking the country. Analysts argue that discontent in the barracks is reflected in the thousands of desertions and arrests of dozens of officers that have occurred in recent months.

Padrino Lopez's statement was given to US President Donald Trump, who earlier this week asked the Venezuelan army to subordinate himself to Guaidó. to escape. They will lose everything"

"They will have to spend on our corpses"said the minister, accompanied by the military high command, adding that he would not accept the imposition of a "puppet" government.

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In a context of increasing tension, Guaidó released Monday in his report of Twitter several messages to some regional military commanders, including photographs of the officers, in which he urged them to let international humanitarian aid into the country. The opposition expects the process to begin on Feb. 23, although Maduro rejected the entry.

Since Guaidó took office in January, the majority of MPs at the head of the National Assembly have urged the military to ignore Maduro and have proposed an amnesty bill in exchange for the reinstatement of the Constitution. Until now, there have been no strong reactions.

The army will be the subject of a trial on fire this week when it will decide whether they allow the pbadage of international humanitarian aid or not promoted by the opposition with the support of the United States, Colombia, Brazil and other countries.

Caracas agreed Tuesday to close maritime and air borders with the islands of Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire, located off the Venezuelan coast. In Curacao is one of four collection centers for help. The other three are located in the Colombian city of Cucuta, in the Brazilian state of Roraima and Miami in Florida.

AP Agency.

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