In an attempt to project an image of unity and loyalty within the original Chavismo, the administration of Nicolás Maduro It amounted to the Brigade General Range to three retired military and figures from the Chavista circle.
The honoree, all participants in The failed coup d’etat of February 4, 1992 (4F) Led by Hugo Chávez, they are the former governor of Zulia and former ambassador to Mexico, Francisco Arias Cárdenas; The deputy and president of Corpozulia, Francisco Ameliachand the former Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Wilmar Castro Soteldo.
The ascent was formalized during the twentieth anniversary of the Operational Strategic Command of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (CEOFANB) on September 27, according to a note of The whistle. Maduro justified the decision claiming that the trio has a vast experience and a “Historical weight” within the FANB and the “Bolivarian Revolution”.
Opposition interpretation
Retired analysts and military see this movement as a political maneuver of Maduro to strengthen its base and counteract the growing pressure of Washington, at a time when Chavismo feels its position threatened by the actions of the Government of Donald Trump.
José Antonio Colina, a retirement military and president of the Venezuelan Persecuted politicians in exile (VEPPEX), argues that the message is clear: “The original Chavistas They are with Maduro “.
Colina remembers that these 4F military officers were marginalized for years by Chávez himself, and now Maduro seeks to claim them to “buy loyalties” and neutralize the versions that other historical leaders, such as former Minister Miguel Rodríguez Torres, They would be acting as “facilitators” of an eventual political transition promoted by the US.
Carlos Hurtado, also retired military, agrees that Maduro Try to encourage more Excompañeros de Armas de Chávez to join a “defense front” before a possible direct attack by Washington. However, doubt of the effectiveness of this message, stating that the ascended “They no longer have leadership reference, less now that they persist in supporting Maduro.”
Arias Cárdenas: from critic to General
In the note of The whistle, It is emphasized that the decision is particularly notable in the case of Francisco Arias Cárdenas, a 4F leader who It has a complex relationship and, often, criticism with the dome of Chavismo.
The former Zulia governor retired from his diplomatic position in Mexico in the midst of rumors and controversies, including alleged complaints of corruption in the embassy. In addition, Arias Cárdenas had faced internal obstacles, such as prohibition to run for the Regional Headquarters and the complaint of irregularities in the PSUV primaries in 2021.
As for Wilmar Castro Soteldo – current rector of the University of Hydrocarbons – Maduro praised him as part of the “Gold Generation” that “ran all the risks” by participating in the 1992 intenton coupist, qualifying it as the “1992 gold rebel.”
