The Armed Forces of Hugo Chávez

Are the National Armed Forces (FAN) "Chavist"? Is the revolutionary leader in the heart of the institution, just as he uttered on Saturday February 4?
In order to answer such question, it is necessary to examine some of the events occurred these past 13 years.

When Chávez took office in 1999, one of his main plans to consolidate his political project consisted in taking over the FAN and developing a transformation plan adjusted to the new ideology that was being imposed by then. Such ideology would be composed of three fundamental aspects: The doctrinaire one, which would concern on severing ties with the United States. Another goal would be to improve the operational readiness through an acquisition plan with suppliers different from the United States, while improving the living conditions of the service men. And in third place: making changes to the structure of the Armed Forces. Each one of them would run in parallel until building the current FANB.

The salary for military men

One of the first measures that link military men with the new Government would be the increase in salary and the social development plans to improve their living conditions.

The 2011 report of the National Security Agency, an NGO specialized in military and security matters, illustrates that in 1999 the FAN was given its first salary rise at 30%; by June 2003, the salary rises were at 30% every year. In October 2003, due to the political conflicts in Venezuela, President Chávez announced that in 2004 the increase in salary would be between 50% and 60%.

The subsequent years, from 2005 to 2009, the salary rises maintained at 30%. In 2010, the President increased the salaries by 40% and in 2011 by 50%. Public entities did not have the same luck since their salary rises were way below these ones.

However, personnel costs were even more important. By other means, the wage structure of the military men became stronger through compensation programs, bonuses and bonds, to such an extent that extra allowances rose on average 2,100%.

If terms of foreign exchange, the wage rise achieved by the military men would be at 187% in the years of President Chávez's administration.

It is worthwhile remembering that the prevailing wage rate of the FAN in 1998 was meager and discontentment was not absent. Venezuela counted on an oil barrel that barely reached a sale price of USD 7, as a consequence of the economical crisis in Asian countries. A second lieutenant's monthly income in 1999 amounted to USD 85.68, equivalent to two minimum salaries; a Venezuelan Army major in 1998 earned USD 30 less than a Colombian soldier and USD 100 less than a Venezuelan Army major in 1998 earned USD 30 a Brazilian soldier.

Technical sergeants become officers

On December 10, 2008, the regulations on the decree for transition from second officers to technical officers were introduced. In the New Organic Law of the FANB, article 63 establishes that the rank of technical officers may be granted to "a natural-born citizen of Venezuela up to the rank of brigadier general or rear admiral."

The numbers collected by the NSA show that ending 2011, a total of 2,984 second lieutenant technical officers in the army were promoted from the rank of lieutenant to colonel versus 2,766 from the Military Academy. By 2013, it is estimated that 235 technical master sergeants will be eligible for promotion to brigadier general. The Transition Program has promoted to officers more sergeants and technical masters than the Military Academy of Venezuela.

Socialist FAN

From the very beginning of the Bolivarian Government, the new ideology made itself noticed at the very core of the institution. Since 2001, a process - concerning the discharge of those officers who did not pursue the new ideological model- took place; 980 officers were sacked and another group was relegated to perform administrative tasks.

The statements made by General Rangel Silva, according to which the FANB would neither to accept a president different from Hugo Chávez nor to accept a government led by the opposition have maintained on track for the 13 years the current government has been in office. In 2003, Army Commander by then, General Cruz Weffer pointed out: "Venezuelan Army will guarantee the revolutionary process."

Together with the constant political statements given by Defense Ministers and commanders expressing their support to Hugo Chávez and his management, came changes to the Organic Law of the FAN (2005), law reforms (2008) and decrees aimed at adjusting existent laws to the new ideology.

On March 21, 2011, the law reform was passed by presidential order. Its introduction states: "The purpose of this new legal instrument is to achieve the best political effectiveness and revolutionary quality in the building of socialism, the recreation of the Venezuelan nation, upon the grounds of humanist principles, supported by moral and ethical conditions which pursue the collective progress and the progress of the homeland." That law ties the army to Hugo Chávez's political project, contravening the 1999 Constitution.

The anti-coup formula

During the promotion of Major General Henry Rangel Silva to Minister of Defense, President Chávez remembered that during the election campaign in 1998, when his political success was imminent, the then commander of the CUFAN (the National Armed Forces Unified Command), General Martínez Ochoa, invited the then presidential candidate to a meeting. In the meeting, General Ochoa, on behalf of the FAN and on his own behalf, assured Chávez "if you win, we will guarantee your triumph." Venezuelan President celebrated the democratic token from the military chief and the FAN by then. That is why he warned the current opposition: "You will continue to crash against the dignity of a town and the dignity of its soldiers in the event of any attempt at ignoring the will of most Venezuelans who want to keep living in democracy and taking the path to the democratic socialism."

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Translated by Adrián Valera Villani