A new tragedy shakes the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) following an accident that occurred on April 13, 2025, at Fuerte Guaicaipuro during a shooting exercise involving the 106 mm Recoilless Gun system. The outcome: two officers dead and two others severely injured, suffering from second and third-degree burns.
Among the deceased is Major Elvis Antonio Contreras Antúnez, a technical officer who should not have been involved in such operations, yet, like many others in the current situation, was compelled to take on responsibilities beyond his scope. Contreras, who worked in the eastern part of the country, had family in the state of Zulia. His loss has sparked outrage within the FANB technical corps, which denounces a work overload and a lack of qualified operational personnel.
The other injured individuals include:
- Major Carlos Eduardo Marcano Martínez (injured, transferred to Dr. Carlos Arvelo Military Hospital).
- First Sergeant Gabriel Enrique Méndez Ramos (injured, also transferred to the Military Hospital).
- Sergeant Major José Domingo Corrales Sánchez (deceased).
According to the official report, the cause of the accident was a premature projectile discharge, likely due to human error. However, internal voices point to the real cause originating from a mix of structural negligence and administrative decisions that are endangering officers.
The Logistics Directorate of the Bolivarian Army (EJB), through the Autonomous Execution System of the Goods Board (SAEJB), confirmed the incident and has initiated an investigation, although there is concern that accountability may become diluted within an overloaded and opaque chain of command.
What today is a tragedy could have been avoided had there not been a continued practice of assigning critical tasks to technical staff, clearly violating protocols and competencies. This accident reignites the debate over the internal crisis within the FANB, operational exhaustion, and the urgent need to reassess training, assignment, and responsibility policies during times of severe institutional disintegration.