The two main heads of the Venezuelan air defense were dismissed on January 8, days after the United States military operation that ended with capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The information was revealed by journalist Sebastiana Barráez, specialized in military sources, in Infobae.
Although neither the military high command nor the Aviation have confirmed the reliefs, the commander of Codai, major general, was separated from his positions. José Luis Tremont Jiménez, and the second commander and chief of the General Staff, major general José Antonio Cuarez Salazar.
A general consulted by Infobae indicated that The response orders were given at 4:00 in the morning, when the United States had already extracted Maduro, and that no prior warning was issued.
Barráez points out that in recent months the Venezuelan air defense was used mainly for propaganda purposes, with exercises without operational relevance and videos spread on social networks.
Interference before the American raid
The systems, on the day of the American operation, did not react even though hours before Aviation personnel had reported significant interference in the radars, associated with the presence of MQ-9 aircraft. However, there was no reaction or activation of air defense protocols.
Command of Codai was assumed by Army Major General Eduardo José Sellone David, who directed the organization’s Central Brigade.
According to the Argentine media, less than 72 hours before the American incursion, Sellone celebrated the new year in a military unit located in Alto de Irapa, near Caracas. There, one of the Venezuelan air defense radars was subsequently neutralized.
Military sources explained to Infobae that The integrated defense network that protected Caracas, Aragua, Miranda and La Guaira was compromised. This was due to electronic warfare operations and defense suppression, which neutralized long and medium range radars and command, control and communications systems.
Distrust and accusations grow
Officials consulted indicated that mistrust and accusations have arisen between military commanders after the American operation.
The general commander of the Aviation, Major General Lenin Lorenzo Ramírez Villasmil, remains in office and has offered motivational speeches in different units, the media recalled. Likewise, Lieutenant Commander Hugo Vera Cabrera, commander of the Central Surveillance and Control Group, He suffered a post-traumatic stress attack after the US operation.
