President Hugo Chaves Revamps Venezuelan Cabinet, Names New VP

January 4, 2008 9:52 a.m. EST

Caracas, Venezuela (AHN) - Smarting from a referendum defeat on December, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez vent his ire on his cabinet whom he blamed for his poll loss. He announced on Thursday a cabinet revamp led by replacing his vice president.

As a result, combative Jorge Rodriguez is now an ex-vice president, while soft-spoken Ramon Carrizales is the new VP. Carrizales is a former Housing Minister.

Mr. Carrizales is a former military man, having served as a colonel. He was also Minister of Infrastructure and former president of Fontur, the National Urban Transport Fund.

Mr. Chavez said in the coming days he will announce more replacements for 12 other cabinet members, but he did not yet identify the names of those to be axed.

President Chavez proposed creating a socialist state that would have given him more powers. He submitted the proposal to Venezuelans in a referendum, but the idea was rejected by voters.