The Court of Honor of the High Study Center hosted the ceremony, presided over by President Nicolás Maduro, accompanied by the first female fighter and deputy of the National Assembly, Cilia Flores; Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez and Secretary of Defense Vladimir Padrino.
Also present was the head of the Strategic Operations Command, Domingo Hernández, as well as other senior officers from the various branches of the FANB.
Deeming the act filled with “emotions, joy, moral and military strength,” the President stressed that the 1,015 graduates, 726 men and 289 women, all completed studies in the military preparatory system at the highest university level.
He stressed that in two and a half decades, this year’s graduates will be the generals and admirals of the National Armed Forces in 2050, when the 300th anniversary of the birth of Venezuelan giant Francisco de Miranda, an immortal from Caracas, will be celebrated, he stressed.
Maduro pointed out that the FANB was newly founded and made history by Commander Hugo Chávez (1954-2013), whose spirit as “Supreme Military Leader of Venezuela” is always present in all military actions.
During the act, more than 330 men and women from the 1990 promotions, whom Maduro said had fulfilled outstanding, impeccable roles as military leaders throughout the years of building an independent and free homeland, were granted active reserve status.
This meant that these forces saw the country’s rebirth with the Bolivarian Revolution and were loyal, disciplined and professional, and he thanked them for the mission accomplished.
At the end of the law, the head of state announced the partial renewal of the commanders-general of the various components of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, as some of them were transferred to active reserve.
In this sense, he referred to the confirmation of Major General Vladimir Padrino as Minister of Defense and Domingo Hernández, the head of the Strategic Operations Command and the Commander of Military Aviation.
Maduro viewed Padrino as a loyal, honest, self-sacrificing and combative man and said he was the target of daily attacks from the rogue right and US imperialism.
The revived, some of whom will serve other important roles, were the chiefs of the army, the Bolivarian Navy, and the national guard and militia.
ode/jcd