MILITARY & SECURITY Profile updated May 2026

Henry Rangel Silva

Former Defense Minister of Venezuela

Nationality: Venezuelan Affiliations: FANB Cohorts: Military & security, Executive & cabinet

At a glance

General-in-Chief Henry Rangel Silva is a former Defense Minister and former governor of Trujillo state, one of the longest-serving senior military figures in the Bolivarian government.

Who is Henry Rangel Silva?

Henry de Jesús Rangel Silva is a retired General-in-Chief of the Venezuelan armed forces who served as Minister of Defense (2012–2013) and as governor of Trujillo state (2012, 2017–2021). He has been on the U.S. Treasury OFAC kingpin list since 2008 — a designation that predates the Venezuela-program SDN architecture.

Also known as: Henry de Jesús Rangel Silva.

Network & connections

The following figures are part of Henry Rangel Silva's direct political, cabinet, or institutional network — useful for compliance teams mapping the wider Venezuelan power structure:

Frequently asked questions

▸ Who is Henry Rangel Silva?

General-in-Chief Henry Rangel Silva is a former Defense Minister of Venezuela (2012–2013) and former governor of Trujillo state. He has been a U.S. Treasury OFAC sanctions target since 2008, predating the Venezuela-specific sanctions programs.

Sources & further reading

Wikipedia: Henry Rangel Silva

Useful tools and explainers

Browse all active OFAC Venezuela SDN designations — the live US Treasury tracker for individuals, entities, vessels, and aircraft.
OFAC Venezuela sanctions checker — paste any name to check it against the active SDN list.
How to invest in Venezuela (2026 sanctions-safe guide)
Browse all Venezuelan power figures

Other military & security

6 more in this cohort

FANB high command, GNB, DGCIM, SEBIN, and the armed-forces leadership.

MILITARY & SECURITY

Diosdado Cabello

Diosdado Cabello is Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace and the PSUV's first vice president — long considered the second most powerful figure in the Venezuelan government.

Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace

Open profile MILITARY & SECURITY

Domingo Hernández Lárez

General-in-Chief Domingo Hernández Lárez is the Strategic Operational Commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (CEOFANB) — the senior operational figure in the FANB chain of command.

Strategic Operational Commander of the FANB (CEOFANB)

Open profile MILITARY & SECURITY

Iván Hernández Dala

General Iván Hernández Dala is the head of Venezuela's Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM) — the most consequential internal-security body for foreign and domestic dissident activity.

Director of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM)

Open profile

See everyone in military & security