As a nation, we have waged “a tremendous struggle” for the defense of our sovereignty and respect for national dignity, the president wrote in his Twitter account.

On July 5, the 212th anniversary of the Day of the Declaration of Independence and of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), the President assured that the absolute will of the Bolivarian Republic is and will always be to be a free, sovereign, independent, dignified and rebellious nation.

He stated that his country is currently forging with effort, work, honor, patriotism and much national union, what he called “perpetual independence”.

Forging independence is a matter of dignity, remarked the President, and asserted that Venezuela will not be submissive to any empire, “neither today nor ever”, he ratified.

In a ceremony for the promotion of 251 high-ranking officers, including generals, admirals and other military personnel, on this historic date, Maduro said that the FANB acquired its Bolivarian character in the 21st century.

It is a force absolutely independent of foreign, imperialist commands and foreign doctrines, he affirmed.

He emphasized that the plans of the Bolivarian National Armed Force and the preparation of its officers “are purely Venezuelan”, forged in the work of our hands, our minds, our intelligence and our history.

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