Military Organization

摘要

The president is commander in chief of the armed forces and has the title Captain General of the Armed Forces. A lower ranking post is also referred to as commander in chief, as explained below. The president appoints the armed forces commanders in chief (two-year terms, given rank of Minister of State) and the chiefs of the three military services and other commanding officers. Morales presides over - and his authority is normally exercised by - the Supreme Council of National Defense (Consejo Supremo Nacional de Seguridad), an advisory body comprising senior officers of each service and the minister of national defense, whose responsibilities are administrative. The Military High Command comprises the president, defense minister, commander in chief (appointed on a rotating basis among the services), chief of staff, and respective service commanders. The defense ministry is divided into two vice ministries, one tasked with defense and the other with civil defense and national development.