Hugo Chávez in Venezuela announces cabinet reshuffle
54 minutes ago

CARACAS (AFP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez announced on Tuesday a major reorganization of his government, including the abolition of two ministries, and changes in the headlines of several portfolios.

"These structural changes are made to accelerate the dynamics of the state
administration, to make it more efficient in its construction of the welfare and
interest," announced Minister of Communications and Information, Jesse Chacón,
the detailed statement in which these changes .

One major change is that the vice president Ramón Carrizález assume from now the Defense Ministry, which was headed by Gustavo Rangel Briceño.

In addition, Chavez decided to abolish the ministry of Housing and Habitat,
which is assumed by the Infrastructure denonimado from now Public Works and
Housing, and Social Participation and Protection.

The functions of the latter shall be divided into two ministries: the Health, to
be called from now Health and Welfare, and the Communal Economy, to be called
the Ministry of Communications.

In addition, the Ministry of Light Industries and Commerce is transformed into
the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Light will be the responsibility of the
Ministry of Science and Technology.

Among the changes announced are not holders of the best known ministers of this government, such as Nicolas Maduro (Foreign Affairs), Rafael Ramirez (Energy and Petroleum), Ali Rodriguez (Economy and Finance) or Rodolfo Sanz (Basic
Industries and Mining).

Pedro Morejon, until now head of the Ministry of Communal Economy, will assume
the portfolio of Tourism.

Erika Farías, by the late Ministry for Participation and Social Protection, will
assume the new Ministry of Communications.

The two new government will face Eduardo Saman, until now responsible for the
defense of the Institute of users who will bear the new Ministry of Commerce,
and Maria Cristina Iglesias, who will assume the portfolio of Labor and Social
Security, replacing Roberto Hernandez.

Last week, Chavez announced that there would be several changes in government and began announcing that the portfolio of Planning and Development to be spent under the direction of Jorge Giordani, who had occupied that position, replacing Haiman El Troudi.

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