Ministry of Defense (Venezuela)

The Venezuelan Ministry of People's Power for Defense (), abbreviated M.P.P.D., is the federal-level organization responsible for maintaining the Venezuelan armed forces. Since March 2026, the ministry has been headed by General Gustavo González López. The ministry coordinates numerous counter-narcotics operations (e.g., Operation Sierra through the CUFAN organ), helps perform various civil support and social development programs, and oversees the conventional military capabilities of Venezuela.

History 1810 Established as War and Navy Bureau 1863 Ministry of War 1874 Ministry of War and Navy 1946 Became Ministry of National Defense 1951 Name amended to Ministry of Defense 2007 Renamed Ministry of People's Power for Defense by presidential decree

Lists of ministers of defense Ministers of defense of the Republic of Venezuela # Minister Period PresidentBeginning of term End of term 1Commander Lino de Clemente18101814Cristóbal MendozaFrancisco EspejoFrancisco de MirandaSimón Bolívar 2Tomás Montilla18171821Simón Bolívar 3Major General Pedro Briceño Méndez18211825Simón Bolívar 4Lieutenant General Carlos Soublette18251828Simón Bolívar 5Genera lRafael Urdaneta18281829Simón Bolívar 6Lieutenant General Carlos Soublette18291835José Antonio Páez 7Francisco Conde18351835José María Vargas 8Francisco Hernáiz18361837José María VargasAndrés Navarte 9Guillermo Smith18371839Carlos Soublette 10General Rafael Urdaneta18391847José Antonio PáezCarlos Soublette 11Francisco Mejía18471858José Tadeo MonagasJosé Gregorio MonagasJosé Tadeo Monagas 12Domingo Hernández18581861Julián CastroManuel Felipe Tovar 13Lieutenant General Manuel Ezequiel Bruzual18631864Juan Crisóstomo Falcón 14Major General José Ruperto Monagas18641870Juan Crisóstomo FalcónJosé Ruperto Monagas 15José Ignacio Pulido18701874Antonio Guzmán Blanco 16Major General Joaquín Crespo18741877Antonio Guzmán Blanco 17Major General Ramón Guerra18921894Joaquín Crespo 18José Ignacio Pulido18991902Cipriano Castro 19Ramón Guerra19021903Cipriano Castro 20José María García Gómez19031903Cipriano Castro 21Manuel Salvador Araujo19031904Cipriano Castro 22Joaquin Garrido19041905Cipriano Castro 23José María García Gómez19051906Cipriano Castro 24Brigadier Diego Bautista Ferrer (acting) 19061906Cipriano Castro 25Manuel Salvador Araujo19061907Cipriano Castro 26Major General Diego Bautista Ferrer19071908Cipriano Castro 27Major General Régulo Olivares19081911Juan Vicente Gómez 28Manuel Vicente Castro Zavala19111912Juan Vicente Gómez 29 Ismael Pereira Álvarez19121913Juan Vicente Gómez 30Victorino Márquez Bustillos19131914Juan Vicente Gómez 31Carlos Jiménez Rebolledo19141929Victorino Márquez BustillosJuan Vicente Gómez 32Brigadier Tobías Utribe19291931Juan Bautista Pérez 33Major General Eleazar López Contreras19311935Juan Vicente Gómez 34Brigadier Antonio Chalboud Cardona19351936Eleazar López Contreras 35Major General Isaias Medina Angarita19361941Eleazar López Contreras 36Brigadier Antonio Chalboud Cardona19411942Isaias Medina Angarita 37Major General Juan de Cios Celis Paredes19421943Isaias Medina Angarita 38Carlos Meyer19431943Isaias Medina Angarita 39Brigadier Manuel Morán19431945Isaias Medina Angarita 40Major General Delfín Becerra19451945Isaias Medina Angarita 41Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Delgado Chalbaud19451948Rómulo BetancourtRómulo Gallegos 42Lieutenant Colonel Marcos Pérez Jiménez19481953Carlos Delgado ChalbaudGermán Suárez FlamerichMarcos Pérez Jiménez 43Colonel Oscar Mazzei Carta19531958Marcos Pérez Jiménez 44Major General Rómulo Fernández19581958Marcos Pérez Jiménez 45Major General Marcos Pérez Jiménez (acting)19581958Marcos Pérez Jiménez 46Major General Jesús Castro León19581958Rómulo Betancourt 47Brigadier Josué López Hernández19581961Rómulo Betancourt 48Brigadier Antonio Briceño Linares19611964Rómulo Betancourt 49Major General Ramón Florencio Gómez19641969Raúl Leoni 50Major General Marín García Villasmil19691971Rafael Caldera 51Major General Jesús Carbonel Izquierdo19711972Rafael Caldera 52Gustavo Pardi Dávila19721974Rafael Caldera 53Homero Leal Torres19741976Carlos Andrés Pérez 54Francisco Álvarez Torres19791977Carlos Andrés Pérez 55Francisco Paredes Bello19771979Carlos Andrés PérezLuis Herrera Campins 56Luis Rangel Burgoing19791980Luis Herrera Campins 57Tomás Abreu Rescaniere19801981Luis Herrera Campins 58Bernardo Leal Puchi19811982Luis Herrera Campins 59Vicente Narváez Churión19821983Luis Herrera Campins 60Humberto Alcalde Álvarez19831984Luis Herrera CampinsJaime Lusinchi 61Andrés Brito Martínez19841986Jaime Lusinchi 62José Cardozo Grimaldi19861987Jaime Lusinchi 63Major General Eliodoro Guerrero19871988Jaime Lusinchi 64Major General Italo del Valle Alliegro19881989Jaime LusinchiCarlos Andrés Pérez 65Major General Filmo López Uzcátegui19891990Carlos Andrés Pérez 66Héctor Jurado Toro19901991Carlos Andrés Pérez 67Fernándo Ochoa Antich19911992Carlos Andrés Pérez 68Iván Jiménez Sánchez19921993Carlos Andrés PérezOctavio LepageRamón José Velásquez 69Radamés Muñoz León19931993Ramón José Velásquez 70Rafael Montero Ravette19931995Ramón José VelásquezRafael Caldera 71Moisés Orozco Graterol19951996Rafael Caldera 72Pedro Valencia Vivas19961997Rafael Caldera 73Rear Admiral (upper half) Tito Rincón19971999Rafael Caldera 74Major General Raúl Salazar19991999Hugo Chávez 75Major General Ismael Hurtado19992000Hugo Chávez 76Major General José Vicente Rangel20002002Hugo Chávez 77Lieutenant General Lucas Rincón Romero 20022002Hugo Chávez 78Major General José Luis Prieto20022004Hugo Chávez 79Lieutenant General Jorge Luis García Carneiro20042005Hugo Chávez 80Vice Admiral Orlando Maniglia20052006Hugo Chávez 81General Raúl Baduel20062007Hugo Chávez 82General Gustavo Rangel Briceño20072009Hugo Chávez 83Lieutenant General Ramón Carrizales20092010Hugo Chávez 84General Carlos Mata Figueroa20102012Hugo Chávez 85General Henry Rangel Silva20122012Hugo Chávez 86Admiral Diego Molero20125 July 2013Hugo ChávezNicolás Maduro 87Admiral Carmen Meléndez5 July 201324 October 2014Nicolás Maduro 88General Vladimir Padrino López24 October 201418 March 2026Nicolás MaduroDelcy Rodríguez 89 General Gustavo González López 18 March 2026 Incumbent Delcy Rodríguez

Ministry of Defense (Venezuela)

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