Venezuela's Military and Police Pledge Loyalty to Interim President as Tensions Rise After US Abduction of Maduro.
In a ceremony held at the prestigious Military Academy of the Bolivarian Army in Caracas on Wednesday, Venezuela's military and police forces pledged their loyalty to interim President Delcy Rodriguez, just weeks after the country's former President Nicolas Maduro was abducted by the United States military in a deadly operation ordered by US President Donald Trump.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino led the ceremony, during which he vowed "absolute loyalty and subordination" to Rodriguez. The declaration comes amid heightened tensions between Venezuela and the United States, with Trump vowing to pressure Rodriguez into handing greater control of the country's vast oil reserves to US companies, a move that has been met with widespread opposition in Venezuela.
Padrino's pledge of loyalty was seen as a significant show of support for Rodriguez, who has been leading the country since the surprise abduction of Maduro on January 3. The interim president has vowed to begin a "new political moment" in the country, and has already taken steps to address human rights concerns, including freeing dozens of political prisoners jailed under Maduro.
However, the ceremony has also raised concerns about the future of Venezuela's democracy, with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado warning that Rodriguez does not enjoy the support or respect needed to rule the country effectively. In a surprising gesture, Machado had previously gifted her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize award to Trump at the White House.
As tensions between Venezuela and the United States continue to escalate, it remains to be seen how long Rodriguez's government will remain in power, and whether she can maintain the support of her military and police forces as pressure from Washington mounts.
In a ceremony held at the prestigious Military Academy of the Bolivarian Army in Caracas on Wednesday, Venezuela's military and police forces pledged their loyalty to interim President Delcy Rodriguez, just weeks after the country's former President Nicolas Maduro was abducted by the United States military in a deadly operation ordered by US President Donald Trump.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino led the ceremony, during which he vowed "absolute loyalty and subordination" to Rodriguez. The declaration comes amid heightened tensions between Venezuela and the United States, with Trump vowing to pressure Rodriguez into handing greater control of the country's vast oil reserves to US companies, a move that has been met with widespread opposition in Venezuela.
Padrino's pledge of loyalty was seen as a significant show of support for Rodriguez, who has been leading the country since the surprise abduction of Maduro on January 3. The interim president has vowed to begin a "new political moment" in the country, and has already taken steps to address human rights concerns, including freeing dozens of political prisoners jailed under Maduro.
However, the ceremony has also raised concerns about the future of Venezuela's democracy, with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado warning that Rodriguez does not enjoy the support or respect needed to rule the country effectively. In a surprising gesture, Machado had previously gifted her 2025 Nobel Peace Prize award to Trump at the White House.
As tensions between Venezuela and the United States continue to escalate, it remains to be seen how long Rodriguez's government will remain in power, and whether she can maintain the support of her military and police forces as pressure from Washington mounts.