Venezuelan President announces cabinet changes

Caracas, Aug 20 (IANS) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced several changes in his cabinet, including the appointment of Mervin Maldonado as the new vice president for social and territorial socialism.The announcement on Thursday followed the selection of several cabinet ministers as candidates of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela for regional and municipal elections scheduled for November 21, Maduro said.The President appointed Chief Admiral Remigio Ceballos Ichaso as new minister of internal relations, justice and peace, and Felix Plasencia as new foreign minister in place of Jorge Arreaza, who was appointed minister of industries and national production, reports Xinhua news agency.Governor of Monagas Yelitze Santaella was appointed as the new minister of education.In addition, Admiral William Serantes Pinto will serve as minister of ecological mining development while Margaud Godoy will replace Carolys Perez as minister of women and gender equality.
--IANS ksk/