Nicolás Maduro announced on Tuesday a deep reshuffle of his Cabinet, reinforcing the management of oil, the engine of political and economic power in Venezuela, with his hard core. The president has ratified Delcy Rodríguez as his vice president, but now the Chavista leader will also be Minister of Oil. Diosdado Cabello, leader of the apparatus of militants from the topof the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), returns to the Executive after more than 10 years as vice president and head of Interior and Justice, a position that gives him command of the police forces. Maduro thus ensures direct control of sensitive sectors at a time of intense political crisis due to the disputed presidential elections in which he was proclaimed the winner without presenting the results.
Delcy Rodríguez will have direct responsibilities over Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), the state oil company, after a period of deep turbulence that culminated with the departure and arrest of former minister Tarek El Aissami. Héctor Obregón, a member of the board of directors, was appointed to head the company instead of Pedro Tellechea, who will be appointed to the Ministry of Industry and National Production. The change of government increases the power of the Rodríguez brothers. Delcy’s management is joined by the enormous influence of Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, one of Maduro’s most trusted officials. The appointment, the president has said, will serve “to keep her at the helm.” […] accelerating changes and transformations.” The vice president will, however, leave the Finance portfolio, which will be joined by Anabel Pereira, who was in charge of the cryptocurrency project in the past, a major failed gamble by the Executive.
Vladimir Padrino has been confirmed as Minister of Defense, as has the Foreign Minister, Yvan Gil. Other new additions announced by Hugo Chavez’s successor include the governor of the State of Miranda, Hector Rodriguez, one of the young Bolivarian leaders with the greatest potential. He will be the next Minister of Education, a position he has already held in the past. Deputy Ricardo Sanchez was named Minister of Higher Education.
Maduro’s move comes at an extremely delicate moment, when pressure is mounting from the international community and the opposition, led by María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia, to publish the minutes proving his victory on July 28. In recent days, the president has opted to dig in, and this change of Cabinet, pursuing a “popular government” and “territorial socialism,” sends a message precisely in that direction.
In a televised event, Maduro said that Cabello will also be “vice president of the Government”, assuming this State portfolio that was led by Remigio Ceballos, whose destination he has not specified. “Diosdado brings luck” […] “He knows a lot about peace, he knows a lot about justice,” said the president, who highlighted Cabello’s ability to “consolidate peace” in the face of “so much conspiracy.” “Thank you for your trust. When the clarion call of the country calls, we are there ready,” he responded.
The Chavista leader is one of the main scourges of the opposition from the microphones of the program that he has presented for years, With the hammer hitting.On July 30, two days after the elections, Cabello threatened González Urrutia and Machado that they were going to “screw them over,” after both politicians rejected the victory granted by the electoral body to Maduro and claimed an opposition victory. This week, he announced a mobilization of Chavista militants called for this Wednesday in parallel to the one organized by the platform of anti-Chavez sympathizers.
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