Venezuelan Guard Commander Urges Loyalty to Acting President Rodríguez

The commander of Venezuela's National Bolivarian Guard (GNB), Major General Juan Sulbarán Quintero, called on members to remain loyal to acting president Delcy Rodríguez and to safeguard the nation's sovereignty. The call came in an official statement marking the GNB's 89th anniversary.

Sulbarán Quintero emphasized the military force's institutional role, stating, "We are the ones called to fulfill our duty and remain loyal to our president of the republic Dra. Delcy Eloína Rodríguez." He highlighted the GNB's commitment to maintaining institutional stability in coordination with other branches of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces.

Notably, the statement did not reference former president Nicolás Maduro, who was reportedly captured and transferred to a U.S. federal detention center on January 3. On the same day as the GNB anniversary, Rodríguez inaugurated new medical facilities at a military polyclinic in Caracas, acknowledging the work of military personnel in public service.

The GNB's anniversary occurs months after a UN International Independent Investigation Mission report. Released in December, the report concluded that GNB officials committed human rights violations and crimes against humanity between 2014 and 2024 during public demonstrations and political persecutions, noting a persistent context of impunity in Venezuela.