The Bolivarian Army of Venezuela has formally initiated a reintegration process for colonels from the classes between 1992 and 1998. This decision was communicated through an unclassified official document dated October 26, 2023, which outlines the conditions, requirements, and deadline for interested officers to return to active service.
The call, signed by Major General Henry José Parra Castillo, Director of Personnel for the Army, and Major General Carlos Enrique Quintero Regos, Second Commander and Chief of the General Staff, specifies that eligible officers must express their desire to reintegrate before April 21, 2025.
Eligibility Criteria
The invitation is explicitly directed at “citizen Colonels from the 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998 promotions.” Therefore, this group has significant experience and years away from active service, and they are offered a formal path back, presumably as part of a strategic plan to strengthen the institutional framework within the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB).
Requirements and Documentation
The process requires submission of a letter-sized folder with dividers and identification labels. This must include the following documents:
- Processing by regular body.
- Command opinion.
- Statement of reasons addressed to the Minister of Popular Power for Defense.
- Expression of will.
- Copy of identity card and military ID (both sides).
- Copy of the last promotion resolution.
- Copy of graduation resolution.
- Copies of previous resolutions.
In addition to these requirements, applicants must submit the folder directly to the Army Personnel Directorate, specifically to the Discipline Task Group, as indicated in the original document.
A Structured Process Under Direct Supervision
The reference number assigned to this directive —RDGMA. N.° 52-201-00020/…— suggests that this measure is part of specific internal planning within the Bolivarian Army. The signatures of two high-ranking military officials emphasize the official and strategic nature of the initiative.
Although the document does not specify the reasons behind this call, the meticulous focus on procedures, deadlines, and required documentation indicates a carefully planned process aimed at strengthening the human resources of high-ranking military personnel.
Is it Due to Desertions?
This openness to reintegration of colonels with up to three decades of experience may relate to operational needs, internal reorganization, or an attempt to recover command structures with experience. However, the Army has not issued a public statement clarifying the reasons behind this directive.
What is clear is that this opportunity presents a significant shift for those officers who, after years away from active ranks, now have the possibility to reintegrate under an official, orderly procedure supported by the highest hierarchy of the military body. Additionally, it appears as a coordinated action to fill positions left vacant by the massive desertions of military personnel fleeing the dire conditions within the Armed Forces of a country facing a historical economic collapse.
The search for experienced military personnel, who must demonstrate loyalty to the revolution, might also indicate that the regime is in a currently disadvantaged position. Since former President Donald Trump returned to the White House, actions against Maduro’s regime have raised concerns not only about revenue losses due to sanctions and secondary tariffs, but also regarding pressures and measures against the criminal networks which have disrupted operations that Caracas used to execute successfully against Washington for several years.
In the coming weeks, more factors will emerge that will allow us to analyze with greater precision whether the decision to incorporate experienced military personnel into the army responds to a need to increase loyalty within the forces, or to a necessity in light of imminent military action with allies in the contested area. All remains to be seen.