Vladimir Padrino López

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.[2] During the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt, he was a colonel of the Simón Bolívar Infantry Battalion in Fuerte Tiuna,[1] remaining loyal to the government of Hugo Chávez.Currently Padrino and the Minister of People's Power for Defense hold the positions of Strategic Operational commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces.On 12 July 2016, President Nicolás 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] with Maduro stating:[4] All ministries and government institutions are subordinated to the National Command of the Great Mission for Safe Sovereign and Safe Supply, which is under the command of the President and of the top General, Vladimir Padrino López.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".Padrino is the author of the manual Preparation Process Operations, which is used as query and serves as a reference in all institutes, schools and universities and vocational training of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces.
With Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu .
Padrino Lopez with his Brazilian counterpart Joaquim Silva e Luna .
Spanish namesurnameMinister of DefenseIncumbentNicolás MaduroCarmen MeléndezStrategic Operations Commander of the Bolivarian National Armed ForcesRemigio CeballosCaracasUnited Socialist Party of VenezuelaAlma materMilitary Academy of VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuelan ArmyGeneral-in-chieffour-star generalNational Bolivarian Armed Forces of VenezuelaSergey ShoyguJoaquim Silva e LunamortarSchool of the AmericasFort Benning2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attemptHugo ChávezNicolas MaduroBolivarian missionsBloombergsanctioned by several countries2017 Venezuelan Constituent Assembly electionVoice of AmericaRunrunesBloomberg NewsGovernment of CanadaThe Globe and Mail