Versión Español
Spanish – Nicolas Maduro’s regime announced that Chavista paramilitaries will now have the same functions as the National Armed Force. He also said that each of them – some three million – will have a personal weapon.
Ante el anuncio de Maduro hoy sobre la “Milicia”debe advertirse:
No puede incorporarse la llamada “Milicia Nacional Bolivariana” a la Fuerza Armada Nacional sin un referéndum constitucional consultivo o una reforma constitucional, también sometida a un referéndum aprobatorio … pic.twitter.com/Owub2SxLvx
— Rocío San Miguel (@rociosanmiguel) December 8, 2019
Although it is no surprise that Maduro is arming civilians for the defense of “the revolution,” the novelty in this opportunity is the news that now these citizens who serve as paramilitary Chavistas will be part of the armed forces in direct violation of the Venezuelan Constitution.
“Today is a special day because we have trained and armed three million militiamen willing to defend the unity, sovereignty, and peace of Venezuela,” Maduro said.
Rocio San Miguel, president of the NGO Social Watch, lawyer, and human rights defender, criticized this move on Twitter, saying that according to Venezuelan law, the militia cannot join the armed forces “without a consultative constitutional referendum or a constitutional reform submitted to a recall referendum.”
The expert also pointed out that the surrender of war weapons to the militia violates article 324 of the constitution and criminally commits the entire chain of military command that allows it since the regime is sponsoring the proliferation of illegal armed groups.
La entrega de armas de guerra a la milicia,es un acto que viola el 324 de la Constitución y compromete penalmente a toda la cadena de mando militar que lo permite…
Ya basta de auspiciar grupos armados al margen de la Ley #GAAL en Venezuela con #3MillonesDeMilicianos en armas‼️ pic.twitter.com/IqBy9oCkN3
— Rocío San Miguel (@rociosanmiguel) December 9, 2019
Three million armed civilians
Maduro celebrated the presence of three million militiamen, which means that there will be more than three million armed civilians in the country willing to defend Chavismo.
The Bolivarian militia is made up of civilian Chavistas of any age and without preparation. According to statements by Maduro himself, it already has 3,295,335 militiamen of both sexes, who organize themselves in the communities in the so-called popular units of integral defense (UPDI).
“We have 321,433 rifles that are being distributed through FANB’s secure channels to our militia,” the dictator said in November.
In addition to the militia, there are armed paramilitary collectives in Venezuela, created and sponsored by the regime. These collectives have become terrorists, parapolice, extermination and control organizations of the country. They attack protests, and intimidate, rob, and murder Venezuelans.
Another criminal army composed of paramilitaries and willing to defend Maduro is the Colombian narco-guerrilla National Liberation Army (ELN), which has promised to be the first line of defense in the event of a military intervention to overthrow Maduro.
Over time, it seems that the tyrant diminishes the importance of the FANB and relies more on the civilian Chavistas whom he has gradually armed.
It is important to remember that on 24th June when the Venezuelan Army Day is celebrated, Maduro preferred to attend a small military parade and announce that he will continue arming civilians. Although it was Army Day, he left the military aside and announced that by 2021 Venezuela will have four million armed militiamen (Chavista paramilitaries) at the service of the so-called “Bolivarian revolution.”
