Chilean Air Force holds change of command ceremony

The Chilean Air Force (FACh) conducted a change of command ceremony at El Bosque Air Base in Santiago on October 30. Air General (A) Leonardo Romanini Gutiérrez succeeded Air General (A) Hugo Rodríguez González, who is retiring after a four-year term that began in 2022.

The ceremony was led by President José Antonio Kast and attended by Defense Minister Fernando Barros Ortiz, Senate President Paulina Núñez, and former presidents Michelle Bachelet and Gabriel Boric. During the event, General Romanini was awarded the Collar of the Grand Cross of the President of the Republic decoration.

General Rodríguez delivered a farewell speech highlighting the institution's progress and the upcoming challenge of incorporating a new generation of fifth-generation combat aircraft. While the ceremony took place on October 30, General Romanini is scheduled to formally begin his four-year term on November 5, 2026.