Leader of the Opposition, Maria Corina Machadosent a message to the National Armed Forces in Venezuela this Friday, July 5, on the occasion of 213 years of the Declaration of Independence and Fanab Day.
“Today, the day of the 213th anniversary of our independence and the Day of the National Armed Forces, Edmundo González and I will send our messages of greetings to military civilians,” Machado highlighted in another message.
Today, July 5, is National Armed Forces Day, commemorating 213 years since the formal declaration of Venezuela’s independence.
More than two centuries ago we declared our independence and made a commitment to become free citizens. Since then, men and women in uniform have become an integral part of Venezuelan society, of the country’s life. Therefore, the Venezuelan soldier expresses the same dreams, aspirations, problems and needs as all of us who were born in this land, and Like the rest of us, he too has family and friends abroad.Many of whom are eager to return to a free country full of opportunities.
The National Armed Forces have historically been the symbol that has guaranteed citizens peace, territorial integrity and respect for the constitutional order, representing one of the supreme responsibilities of the state can give to any institution and just as in 1958 it played a decisive role in the advent of democracy, today it poses a fundamental challenge to the future of the republic.
The National Armed Forces will be one of the essential protagonists of the changes necessary for the coming democratic society. Internal enemy model has become the current military doctrine, which has turned our own war power against the population and its institutions has shirked its responsibility to safeguard national sovereignty. In the new Venezuela it will be necessary that the military institution assume without delay the comprehensive defense of the territory and the popular sovereignty expressed in the vote.
Current threats to the Venezuelan State that the FAN must confront are the presence of irregular armed groups involved in drug trafficking and the illegal exploitation of natural resources, which causes serious damage to the population and the environment. Likewise, there is the permanence of rogue intercontinental agents who are allowed to operate within the territory.
In the new democratic phase we are going to move forward with the professionalization and technical specialization of our military forces Through the creation of units that break with the paradigms of traditional conflicts and are at the service of the cyber defense of critical infrastructures; work with advanced intelligence and risk analysis models, and with the intensive use of new defense technological platforms, enhance their tactical capabilities on the field. In the same way, Review and updating of study plans cannot be postponedWhich would be highly beneficial in the process of exchange of ideas between civilian and military to build a shared vision of democracy and development, apart from ideological or partisan schemes.
Some official agents develop the notion that we are enemies of the FAN, on the contrary, we are allies in redirecting the institutionalization that the nation needs so much. We want a bright and shared future where promotion after promotion fulfills its duties and as a result, society and governments recognize its merits. The Army will reach its position without hindrance, Nor a generational plug based on cronyism; They will do so on their professional merits, without being hindered by their views or preferences.
The new Venezuela needs a strong national armed forceStrictly institutional, linked to Article 328 of the Constitution and, above all, with the military respected by society The new country will guarantee them the same respect that they are a part of The extent to which institutional behaviour prevails.
The answer is a comprehensive professional institution, with high levels of effectiveness, efficiency, sense of belonging, discipline, ethics, morality, responsibility, patriotism and unrestricted adherence to legality.
I am confident that the men and women of the FAN in Venezuela will be conscious of their commitment to the nation, guarantor of internal stability, the rule of law, national sovereignty and territorial integrity. There, in their units, they will claim the prestige they surely deserve and then receive popular acclaim.
Rest assured that our goal is to build a Well-trained, well-paid and well-equipped national armed forcesAble to fulfil our republican duty as set out in the Constitution and to meet the threats posed to us by the world of today and tomorrow.
I want to tell the family of each soldier that in the government headed by Edmundo González Urrutia they will have social security and especially health services that will allow them to live with well-being and dignity.
In 23 days, what will happen in Venezuela is already a recognized fact inside and outside the country. On July 28 we will go to the polls and FAN has a mission to contribute, together with the people, to the respect of the sovereign’s will. Its role will be crucial as it will guarantee a peaceful transition to democracy. Within the framework of the republican plan, they will see firsthand the expression of those who cry for freedom and who see the electoral vote as a peaceful, democratic and constitutional means of attaining it.
Members of the Armed Forces, the nation needs you. The Constitution must be your answer and guide. On July 28, the change in command will be ratified by popular vote and the new President and Commander in Chief will take office on January 10, 2025. We are confident that our military will guarantee a legitimate and orderly transition,
With the soul of someone who has traveled the country from the cities to the smallest towns and who has had to go through the suffering and at the same time personifies the hope, determination and courage of my compatriots, I invite you to participate with determination and faith in this imminent future. Do not let us down; we will not fail them.