Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez officially appointed General Gustavo González López as Minister of Defense, replacing Vladimir Padrino López, by decree. The announcement was made via the president’s social media accounts and confirmed in a statement published on the government’s website.

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“We thank General Vladimir Padrino López for his dedication, his loyalty to the nation, and for having been, throughout all these years, the first soldier in the defense of our country,” Rodríguez stated in her message, adding, “We are certain that he will assume the new responsibilities entrusted to him with the same commitment and honor.”

Gustavo González López assumes the duties of the position immediately, in accordance with current legal provisions. Since January 6, 2026, the high-ranking officer had been serving as commander general of Venezuela’s Presidential Honor Guard and director of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence, appointments previously made by the acting president.

The new Defense Minister has a long history in Venezuelan state security and intelligence institutions. González López served as director of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) for two terms: from 2014 to 2018, and again from 2019 to 2024. He has also held other important positions, such as Minister of the Interior and Justice and commander general of the Bolivarian National Militia.

Government Changes

Since January 5, when she was sworn in as acting president, Delcy Rodríguez has made changes to the executive cabinet. Among the previous appointments are Paula Henao as Minister of Hydrocarbons and Luis Villegas as head of the Ministry of Industries and National Commerce, replacing Colombian businessman Alex Saab, who was imprisoned in the United States and had close ties to Nicolás Maduro.

The appointment of Gustavo González López as Defense Minister is part of the restructuring of the Venezuelan Armed Forces and state security agencies, in a political context marked by the government transition and international tensions. The appointment decree stipulates that the high-ranking officer will exercise the functions corresponding to the position based on current legal powers.

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