Maduro renews cabinet for “popular government”

CARACAS, (EFE).- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced the “renewal” of “half” of the working cabinet to form a “popular government” and build “territorial socialism.” The president made changes to several departments, including interior and justice, oil, agriculture, tourism, sports, and economy and industry.

Diosdado Cabello, the new Minister of the Interior and Justice

The Venezuelan president appointed Diosdado Cabello, considered Chavismo’s number two, as the new minister of the interior and justice – an office he already directed in 2002 – to bring “peace” to the country, which is facing a political crisis and elections on July 28.

In a televised program, Maduro said that Cabello would also be “vice president of the government” upon taking over this state portfolio, which was led by Remigio Ceballos, whose fate the president did not clarify.

“Diosdado brings luck (…) He knows a lot about peace, he knows a lot about justice,” said Maduro, who highlighted Cabello’s ability to “consolidate peace” in the face of “so many conspiracies.”

After the announcement, Cabello, first vice president of the ruling United Socialist Party (PSUV), took the stage and assured that he would work so that Venezuela “walks the path of peace with justice” and that “those who have acted against the law” are prosecuted.

On July 30, Cabello threatened members of the majority opposition, among them the standard-bearer in the presidential elections, Edmundo González Urrutia, and his main supporter, María Corina Machado, that he was going to “screw them” after the two politicians would reject the victory awarded by the electoral body to Maduro in the July elections.

Delcy Rodriguez, new Petroleum Minister

Maduro appointed Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as the new Petroleum Minister. Rodríguez, who until today has been the Minister of Economy, Finance and Foreign Trade, has entered the oil portfolio replacing Pedro Telechea, who had been in office since March 2023 following the resignation of Tareck El Aissami, who was arrested on corruption charges.

The Venezuelan president made this announcement almost a month after the country held a presidential election in which he was declared the winner by the National Electoral Council (CNE), a result that was questioned inside and outside the Caribbean nation and considered “fraudulent” by the majority opposition, which insists on the victory of its standard-bearer, Edmundo González Urrutia.

At today’s event, Maduro confirmed several ministers in their posts, including Foreign Minister Yvan Gil, as well as Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, the longest-serving member of the executive in office.