In this Hispanic American name, the first or paternal surname is Padrino and the second or maternal family name is López.
Vladimir Padrino López
Padrino in 2018
Minister of Defense
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 October 2014
President Nicolás Maduro
Delcy Rodríguez (acting)
Preceded by Carmen Meléndez
Strategic Operations Commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces
In office
25 October 2014 – 20 June 2017
President Nicolás Maduro
Preceded by Wilmer Barrientos
Succeeded by Remigio Ceballos
Personal details
Born (1963-05-30) 30 May 1963 (age 62)
Caracas, Venezuela
Party United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV)
Alma mater Military Academy of Venezuela
Military service
Allegiance Venezuela
Branch/service  Venezuelan Army
Years of service 1984–present
Rank General-in-chief

Vladimir Padrino López (born 30 May 1963) is a Venezuelan four-star general serving as the current Minister of Defense for the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela since 24 October 2014.

Military career

Padrino with Russian Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu
Padrino with Brazilian counterpart Joaquim Silva e Luna

On 5 July 1984, Padrino graduated from Military Academy of Venezuela.[1] He commanded mortar personnel of the Antonio Ricaurte Infantry Battalion in Rubio, Táchira State. Between February and May 1995, Padrino attended courses on "Psychological Operations" and "Advanced Officer training" at Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.[2] During the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt, he was a colonel of the Simón Bolívar Infantry Battalion in Fuerte Tiuna,[1] loyal to the government of Hugo Chávez. He was later appointed Chief of Joint Staff of the Strategic Defense Central Region Integral by President Chávez.[citation needed]

In 2013, Padrino became the commander in chief of the Venezuelan Armed Forces.[1] On 24 October 2014, Padrino was named by President Nicolás Maduro to be the successor of Carmen Meléndez as the Minister of Defense. Currently Padrino and the Minister of People's Power for Defense hold the positions of Strategic Operational commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces.[citation needed]

Increased authority

On 12 July 2016, President Maduro granted Padrino the powers to distribute food and medicine, authority over all Bolivarian missions, while also having his military command five of Venezuela's main ports.[3][4]

This action performed by President Maduro made General Padrino one of the most powerful people in Venezuela, possibly "the second most powerful man in Venezuelan politics".[5] Bloomberg's editorial board compared Padrino's appointment to the Cuban government's tactic of granting the Cuban military the power to manage Cuba's economy.[5]

Presidential crisis

During the Venezuelan presidential crisis, Padrino announced the military's continued loyalty to Maduro.[6] However the Juan Guaidó-led opposition continued to seek Padrino's cooperation to remove Maduro.[7] John Bolton said Padrino was willing to defect, but Padrino professed loyalty on live TV later that day,[8][9] and Padrino prepared the military to suppress opposition by force.[10][11] Following the failed uprising, Padrino stated "All of us have to hold on tight, until the storm passes and at last we can see the faces of those of us who remain." Which Ivan Briscoe indicated was not the most loyal public statement. Maduro may not have been fully satisfied with Padrino's handling of the opposition.[12]

Abduction of Nicolás Maduro

Padrino strongly condemned the 2026 United States intervention in Venezuela, which involved the abduction of Maduro.[13][14] Padrino supported the Supreme Tribunal of Justice appointment of Delcy Rodríguez as acting president in Maduro's absence.[15][16]　　

Personal life

Padrino was married to engineer Yarazetd Jennifer Betancourt Contreras, who worked at PDVSA. He later had a romantic relationship with Vivian Arlet Ruiz Barrera.[17]

Sanctions

Padrino has been sanctioned by several countries and is banned from entering neighboring Colombia. The Colombian government maintains a list of people banned from entering Colombia or subject to expulsion; as of January 2019, the list had 200 people with a "close relationship and support for the Nicolás Maduro regime".[18][19]

On 22 September 2017, Canada sanctioned Padrino due to rupture of Venezuela's constitutional order following the 2017 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly election.[20][21] The United States government has also sanctioned Padrino on 25 September 2018 for his role in solidifying President Maduro's power in Venezuela.[22][23]

References

  1. ^ a b c "¿Quién es Vladimir Padrino?". El Nacional. 24 October 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Conozca en detalle: ¿Quién es el General Padrino López?". 2 November 2017.
  3. ^ "Venezuela Military Seizes Major Ports as Economic Crisis Deepens". Voice of America. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  4. ^ "Padrino López controlará el nuevo plan de Maduro contra la escasez". Runrunes (in Spanish). Agence France-Presse. 2016-07-12. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  5. ^ a b "Venezuela Gets a New Comandante". Bloomberg News. 19 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  6. ^ Trinkunas, Harlod (January 25, 2019). "The Venezuelan Opposition's High-Stakes Assault on Maduro". Foreign Affairs.
  7. ^ Vyas, Kejal; Forero, Juan; Córdoba, José de (27 May 2019). "Venezuelan Businessman Joined Plot to Oust Maduro—and Escape Sanctions". Wall Street Journal.
  8. ^ "National Security Advisor John Bolton on Venezuela protests". CNBC. 30 April 2019.
  9. ^ Farrer, Martin; Rawlinson, Kevin; Holpuch, Amanda; Jones, Sam; Farrer (now), Martin; Jones (earlier), Sam (1 May 2019). "Venezuela crisis: Maduro claims coup has been 'defeated' – as it happened". the Guardian.
  10. ^ "Últimas noticias de Venezuela, en vivo: Chile confirma que Leopoldo López está en su Embajada en Caracas" [Latest news from Venezuela, live: Chile confirms that Leopoldo López is in their Embassy in Caracas]. El Pais (in Spanish). 30 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  11. ^ "Vladimir Padrino, ministro de Defensa venezolano: 'Si hay que usar las armas, las usaremos'" [Vladimir Padrino, Venezuelan Minister of Defense: 'If we have to use weapons, we will use them'] (in Spanish). La Razón. 30 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  12. ^ Briscoe, Ivan (July 2, 2019). "Power and Paranoia in Caracas". Foreign Affairs.
  13. ^ Alonso, Juan Francisco (3 January 2026). "El gobierno de Venezuela denuncia una "agresión militar" de EE.UU. y declara estado de conmoción". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish).
  14. ^ "Venezuela defense minister says will resist presence of foreign troops". Reuters. January 3, 2026.
  15. ^ "Venezuelan military recognises Maduro's VP Delcy Rodríguez as acting president". Buenos aires times. January 3, 2026. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  16. ^ "Venezuela's military recognizes Vice President Delcy Rodriguez as acting leader after Maduro's capture". CBS. January 4, 2026. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  17. ^ Molina, Thabata (4 October 2022). "La mujer del ministro de Defensa de Venezuela usó su fama para captar víctimas en la app Shasta". www.moncloa.com (in Spanish).
  18. ^ "Maduro encabeza lista de 200 venezolanos que no pueden entrar al país" [Maduro tops list of 200 Venezuelans who can not enter the country]. El Tiempo (in Spanish). 30 January 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  19. ^ "Primera parte de lista de colaboradores de Maduro que no pueden ingresar a Colombia" [First part of list of Maduro collaborators who can not enter Colombia] (in Spanish). RCN Radio. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  20. ^ "Venezuela sanctions". Government of Canada. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  21. ^ "Canada sanctions 40 Venezuelans with links to political, economic crisis". The Globe and Mail. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  22. ^ "U.S. targets Venezuelans with new sanctions for corruption". UPI. Retrieved 2018-09-27.
  23. ^ Gutiérrez, Laura Gamboa (2019-05-30). "Why Venezuela's Regime Hasn't Collapsed". Foreign Affairs. ISSN 0015-7120. Retrieved 2026-01-14.