Maduro promotes General to newly formed "co-President" position

[geronl]

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/venezuela-strongman-maduro-lengths-survive-174956418.html


excerpt

As his country's economy implodes around him, Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro has resorted to what may be a last-ditch effort to stay in power.

On Tuesday, the autocratic president appointed Defense Minister Padrino Lopez to a newly created role that could best be described as co-president. In making the move, Maduro also increased the power and autonomy of the military over civilians. Maduro has claimed that the political maneuver strengthens Venezuela in the midst of a U.S.-backed "economic war" being waged against the country; however, analysts told CNBC that Maduro is shoring up armed support as the forces arrayed against him gain power.

"I think this is a sign that Maduro recognizes his weakness, but is also a sign that he wants to demonstrate that he will go to all lengths to survive," said Matthew Taylor, a senior fellow for Latin America Studies for the Council on Foreign Relations.

[geronl]

Multiple "Gods" in Venezuela

https://devilexcrement.com/2016/07/14/multiple-gods-in-venezuela/

excerpt

While everyone was watching one “God” in Venezuela, Dios-dado, a different one seemed to ascend to power, Padrino (Godfather), as Maduro designated his Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino, as his all power Czar of food supply and distribution. In Maduro´s words: “All the Ministers, all of the Institutions of Government will be under orders and in absolute subordination to the Great Supply Mission under the orders of the President and General Padrino Lopez”

I have been pondering over this ever since it happened, trying to understand what it really means. Not only did Maduro make the General his equal, but the General did not waste much time in making the statement that his objective was “To govern…”

A strange statement from a man that has been deeply involved with a “Government” that has ruled Venezuela for sixteen years, with the tight involvement of the Venezuelan military of which he has been a leader. Or did Padrino mean “To Govern well”, something which has definitely not happened since Chávez took power in 1999.