In a decisive ceremony cementing the new power structure in Caracas, the Venezuelan armed forces and national police have officially pledged their loyalty to Interim President Delcy Rodríguez. The event, held at the Fuerte Tiuna military complex, marks the final institutional break from the era of Nicolás Maduro, following his arrest by U.S. forces earlier this month.
The Baton of Command
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, the long-serving powerbroker of the Venezuelan military establishment, led the ceremony. In a highly symbolic gesture, Padrino presented Rodríguez with a ceremonial baton, formally recognizing her as the Commander-in-Chief of the National Armed Forces (FANB).
“The soldiers of the homeland stand with the constitution and with you, Madame President,” Padrino declared. This public endorsement from the military’s top brass is widely seen as the critical factor in ensuring Rodríguez’s survival and preventing a counter-coup by remaining Maduro loyalists.
A Show of Force
The pledge was accompanied by a massive military review. More than 3,000 troops, representing all branches of the armed forces and the national police, filed past the reviewing stand in a display of discipline and unity. The parade included units from the elite Presidential Honor Guard and special forces, signaling that the coercive apparatus of the state remains intact and under the control of the new interim administration.
Stabilizing the Transition
For Washington, which has signaled support for Rodríguez as a transitional figure, today’s ceremony is a reassuring sign that the country is avoiding immediate anarchy. By securing the loyalty of Padrino and the rank-and-file, Rodríguez has effectively consolidated the “deep state,” allowing her government to focus on the promised elections and the dismantling of the narcoterrorism networks that triggered the U.S. intervention.
Footage Charlie Kirk has been shot
Charlie Kirk has been shot
