CARACAS.- Delcy Rodriguezpresident in charge of Venezuela, dismissed the general Vladimir Padrino López as Minister of Defense, thereby continuing to dismantle his predecessor’s cabinet, Nicolas Maduro.
The measure is added to the removal of the head of the former president’s presidential guard, leaving even more reduced the unconditional leadership of the Chavista leader.
In addition to the departure of Padrino López, who spent more than a decade in charge of the Defense office and from where He swore loyalty to Maduro on more than one occasionDelcy ordered ten moves on your teamamong them in the ministries of Electric Energy, Transportation and Labor.
Vladimir Padrino is dismissed as Minister of Defense
Padrino López’s separation from office occurs two and a half months after Maduro’s capture by the United States, a country that announced in January 2025 a reward of 15 million dollars for the now former Venezuelan Defense Minister.
“We thank G/J Vladimir Padrino López for his dedication, his loyalty to the country and for having been, during all these years, the first soldier in the defense of our country,” Rodríguez said in a message posted on Telegramin which he assured that the former minister will carry out new tasks, without offering more details.
Padrino López said goodbye to the Ministry of Defense and assured that it was “the highest honor” of his life to have held this State portfolio since 2014.
Who is Gustavo González López, new Minister of Defense of Venezuela
In his place was appointed the also general-in-chief Gustavo González Lópezwho has been sanctioned since 2015 by the United States, the European Union and other countries for human rights violations during his time as Minister of the Interior, a year earlier.
He held the position of general commander of the Presidential Honor Guard since January 6, when Rodríguez appointed him to head his security team after dismissing another trusted man of Maduro, Major General Javier Marcano Tabata.
González López had also been named head of the Military Counterintelligence Directorate (DGCIM) at that time, but now this security body will be headed by Germán Gómez Lárez.
The new commander of the Presidential Honor Guard will be General Henry Navas.
The general in chief has also been director of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin) between 2014 and 2018, and then between 2019 and 2024.
He also served as Minister of the Interior and Justice in the first Maduro Government (2013) and general commander of the Bolivarian National Militia during the last term of Hugo Chávez (2011).
His new appointment, in fact, was criticized by the NGO Provea, which considered that this appointment keeps “the repressive structure” of the State and pointed out that the UN Fact-Finding Mission identified González López in 2018 for arbitrary detentions.
Transport, electricity and work
In this Wednesday’s round of changes, Rodríguez removed the starters from Electrical Energy, Transportation and Workthree sectors in deep crisis, affected by constant blackouts and inflation, respectively.
He The new Minister of Electrical Energy is the engineer Rolando Alcalá and replaces General Jorge Márquez Monsalve, an appointment that occurs right in the middle of the demands of the United States to improve services in the country now that both nations have established oil agreements.
Monsalve was left in charge of the Ministry of Housing, while for Transport and Labor, two portfolios that have faced protests and complaints in recent days, the deputy was appointed Jacqueline Faria and the magistrate Carlos Alexis Castillo.
Finally, the president in charge announced the appointment of new ministers of Culture and University Educationas well as the head of the Great Mission Viva Venezuela, a program that is responsible for promoting culture in the country.
Since last January 5, when she was sworn in as acting president, Rodríguez began a rapprochement process with the Donald Trump Administration, whom she has called “partner and friend.”
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