CARACAS (Dow Jones)--Venezuela President Hugo Chavez late Tuesday named his agriculture minister, Elias Jaua, as his new vice president after Ramon Carrizalez' resigned from the post earlier this week.

Jaua will continue to lead the agriculture ministry, the president said.

Carrizalez, who was the defense minister in addition to being the vice president, quit his job Monday, citing personal reasons. Chavez said Carlos Mata would become the new defense minister.

Carrizalez's wife, Yubiri Ortega, also resigned her post Monday as environment minister. Chavez did not indicate if a replacement had been named at the environment ministry.

The president thanked both Ortega and Carrizalez for their service.

"I now know the reasons (why they resigned), I respect them and I share them," Chavez said.

The cabinet shuffle comes amid rising discontent in Venezuela as the Chavez administration tries to manage electricity and water shortages, a grinding recession, inflation that was 27% last year and a devaluation of the currency earlier this month.

-By Dan Molinski, Dow Jones Newswires; (58) 414-120-5738; dan.molinski@dowjones.com