Just for the historical record (and the record books!) I wanted to make sure to include the full text of what General Henri Rangel Silva said today. General Rangel Silva’s statement is unconstitutional and represents a true threat given that he is the General in charge of “Plan Republica” The military plan that protects people and votes on election day. General Rangel Silva should be immediately removed and jailed for what he said.
“The National Armed Forces has no half way loyalties but full ones towards the people, one life project and one Commander in Chief. We are married to this national project,” said the head of the Strategic Operational Command (CEO), General Henry Rangel Silva, who says that in a hypothetical opposition government starting in 2012 and any attempt to dismantle the military sector would have a reaction from both the military and the people who would feel that they are taking something away from them.
In an interview with Ultimas Noticias, Rangel Silva insisted that the sectors that oppose President Hugo Chavez continue their attacks against the armed forces and some of its leaders. “For many, there are some military leaders who are not convenient to them and they (say) they have to be out of the way,” he said.
“The attacks are on the agenda of the opposition. The Armed Forces element has historically been used to somehow topple governments … They act supported by third countries and that affects nationalism. The hypothesis (of an opposition government) is difficult, it would be selling the country, that’s not going to be accepted by the population, nor the Armed Forces, nor least of all by the people”he said.
The Devil's Excrement 
May 8, 2014 at 3:04 pm
[…] army chief in July this year. A few days ago, Rangel Silva said that the Venezuelan army would not accept an opposition government, statements found “unacceptable” even by Chavez’s main enabler at the […]
November 10, 2010 at 4:55 am
Miguel,
The alternative forces should not let this just disappear from the news. They should take this to the international media and ask time after time what the hell this milico has to say and demand his resignation.
Are they afraid of the military?
November 10, 2010 at 4:40 am
My two cents:
Makled will be sent to Venezuela…Santos just want the $$$$ from Venezuela. Makled has probably dirt on the Rangel Silva and the general is just trying to tell Chavez…but i am loyal and if is for me you will be in power for ever.
Now how many inside the Military Forces really thinks like this?
November 9, 2010 at 10:27 pm
I found the use of the word “nationalismo” interesting. Not a word a communist would use. A word more associated with the word Junta. Bolivarianism is anything a Venezuelan wants it to be!
November 9, 2010 at 4:33 pm
This is Chavez’s way of telling the Oppositionists it is time for them to sell out and go. He is telling us, “Leave already. There is no place for you here. Nothing you can do or say will make a difference. In the end, everything you own will be mine. So, save yourselves the trouble of fighting and just leave now!”
November 9, 2010 at 12:51 pm
uprecedented damage control for chavez to mention makled from cuba… the comment that Santos would send him Makled is pure BS. Makled must really have the goods!
November 9, 2010 at 12:35 pm
one last thing about the magnitude of the situation… makled is the biggest fish ever being transferred from Colombia to the US. The security surrounding this operation will be tight! I expect the kill order has been issued to FARC and operating elements.
November 9, 2010 at 10:23 am
What you need first is to merge all those opposition parties into one or two actual national political parties with actual viewpoints on a range of issues.
They should both agree on a few basic things: No more dictators/strongmen/junta’s. Actual democratic elections. Dismantling most of the armed forces. The only real military threat to Venezuela is FARC.
November 9, 2010 at 7:56 am
Venezuela will remain hot for next few years until after the supposed presidential election. But that’s it… I dont foresee anything over the top. Not yet.
On a related subject, cocaine is chavez’ achilles’ heel. It was Makled’s record busting DC-9-15 haul that gave us the first glimpse of how high this went. Makled’s capture is a freak event for this guy should have never fallen into our hands!
Makled case will drag on for a while… watching closely will be chavez and thug pals. Wash cycle on spin.
November 9, 2010 at 7:30 am
Lim, this guy is a marked man. He has a destiny with US justice and jail. Once he’s indicted (which will never happen under the weak and naive Obama) he can run but cannot hide. Few places on earth can hide him.
Tell me more about this coup
November 9, 2010 at 7:24 am
with all due respect, the notion that chavismo will lose and be removed by the ballot box in 2012 is silly. The world (US) will be too busy to notice what goes on in Venezuela. Chavez’ pals will see to it otherwise. What is going on in Venezuela does not stay in Venezuela… this thing is global and there is a plan. The Venezuelan opposition is not remotely close to anything while the enemy hammers away nonstop.
November 9, 2010 at 3:34 am
This guy could be positioning himself for the inevitable coup against Chavez. The way I read it, the coup will be before the 1012 election, since it is obvious that Chavez can’t win it. The military boys will want to keep their privileges while maintaining some international socialist respectability, thus the talk about revolution, loyalty, the people, etc. Rangel Silva is unlikely to be the leader: apart from being a lightweight, his neck is too exposed.
November 9, 2010 at 12:42 am
Guys,
None of the above, in my opinion.
The regime is positioning themselves in case (in a very remote case, I should say) that the opposition candidate wins by a large margin over Chavez in 2012.
Or, more plausibly, in their typical intimidatory style, the Regime is sending the message that any expectations of winning in 2012 oppositors (“escualidos”) may have is zero since (according to Rangel Silva) the military won’t allow it regardless of the results.
Is not that they’re worried (I don’t think they are). It is more that they’re already managing people’s expectations for the 2012 elections. When is the opposition going to start positioning themselves for the elections. Will they start doing so in say, May of 2012 (4 to 6 months before the election, when it is too late)?
November 8, 2010 at 11:08 pm
Pathocracy: A term that fits the current crop of abnormals like a glove. Latin-American military abnormal, which is quite a tall order.
“continue their attacks against the armed forces and some of its leaders…” if that were only true they would be deaf from my cheering on…
“…any attempt to dismantle the military sector …” would be tremendously risky, and a most worthy attempt. The reward of not having to support dangerous parasites would be almost infinite.
“We are married to this national project…” and you will sink with it and drown, God willing. All of you.
November 8, 2010 at 9:43 pm
As they say in Venezuela, “Guapo y apoyao”, he sure feels it.
November 8, 2010 at 9:02 pm
Worth another read?
“Pathocracy is a disease of great social movements followed by entire societies, nations, and empires. In the course of human history, it has affected social, political, and religious movements as well as the accompanying ideologies and turned them into caricatures of themselves. This occurred as a result of the participation of pathological agents in a pathodynamically similar process. That explains why all the pathocracies of the world are, and have been, so similar in their essential properties.
The actions of [pathocracy] affect an entire society, starting with the leaders and infiltrating every town, business, and institution. The pathological social structure gradually covers the entire country creating a new class within that nation. This privileged class [of pathocrats] feels permanently threatened by the others, i.e. by the majority of normal people. Neither do the pathocrats entertain any illusions about their personal fate should there be a return to the system of normal man.
[Andrew M. Lobaczewski Political Ponerology: A science on the nature of evil adjusted for political purposes]
November 8, 2010 at 8:39 pm
He obviously is kissing ass cuz he’s neck deep in a lot of illegal activities. You know these guys are in trouble when they proclaim loudly their supposed radical views.