Gustavo Enrique González López, internationally sanctioned for human rights violations, was appointed by Delcy Rodríguez as head of his personal security.
MADRID, Spain.- General in Chief Gustavo Enrique González López, one of the most controversial soldiers of Chavismo, was appointed this January 5 as the new commander of the Presidential Honor Guard of Venezuela. The appointment, signed by the interim president Delcy Rodríguez, after the capture of Nicolás Maduro, is among her first moves to ensure control of the security apparatus of power, despite the history of international sanctions and accusations of serious human rights violations that weigh on the military.
Born on November 2, 1960, González López graduated from the Venezuelan Military Academy in the class of 1982. Since the mid-2000s he has held key positions in sensitive areas of the State, especially linked to intelligence, internal security and political repression. During the government of Hugo Chávez he was appointed director of the Los Teques Metro, but his definitive promotion occurred in subsequent years, under the administration of Nicolás Maduro.
Between 2014 and 2018, and again in 2019, González López was at the head of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), one of the most feared organs of the Venezuelan repressive apparatus. International organizations and human rights organizations have documented that, during its administration, SEBIN was involved in arbitrary arrests, torture, forced disappearances and cruel treatment against political opponents and protesters.
In 2015, the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned González López for his direct responsibility in acts of repression. Subsequently, Canada, the European Union and other countries adopted similar measures, banning him from entering their territories and freezing possible assets under their jurisdiction. His name also appears in reports from the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission, which investigates crimes against humanity committed in Venezuela.
Despite this history, González López was not removed from power. After leaving SEBIN, he held positions as Minister of Interior Relations, Justice and Peace and, more recently, director of the Security and Intelligence Council of the Presidency. His new role as commander of the Presidential Honor Guard places him directly in charge of the device in charge of the physical protection of Delcy Rodríguez and the main headquarters of the executive branch, including the Miraflores Palace.
