The Venezuelan armed forces, known as the FANB, pledged staunch support for the country’s government and constitution in the face of threats by the right-wing parliament to oust President Nicolas Maduro.
“The constitutional president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, Nicolas Maduro is the highest authority of the state, elected by popular vote,” said Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez. “Today he rightly leads the pursuit of the higher interests of the country, so we reiterate our absolute loyalty and unconditional support.”
The military chief condemned the removal of pictures of Hugo Chavez and Simon Bolivar by new National Assembly president, Henry Ramos Allup, as a “vulgarity.”
The FANB declaration came after legislator for the PSUV socialist alliance, Pedro Carreño, warned that the opposition was ignoring public institutions in order to launch a coup d’etat.
ANALYSIS: Absurd Acts by Venezuelan Right Legislators Reveal True Colors
Responding to the decision by Ramos Allup to scorn a decision of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) to suspend election results for four National Assembly members and swear them into parliament regardless, Carreño said that the “reactionary right, who like errand boys, following decision of their imperial financiers, set themselves up in the National Assembly to launch a coup d’etat.”
“And in the face of this unlawfulness, this anomalous behaviour, the public powers of the public will have to work to preserve peace, the state of law and internal order,” he added.
ANALYSIS: 8 Times the Venezuelan Opposition Didn't Play by the Rules
Since taking over as the majority force in the Venezuelan parliament, the right-wing opposition has adopted a confrontational attitude.
Since the first day of the new National Assembly this week after the MUD won a two-thirds supermajority the opposition force declared its goal to remove Nicolas Maduro from office.
WATCH: Portraits of Hugo Chavez Removed from Venezuelan National Assembly