Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, continued her government reshuffle on Friday by dismissing Colombian businessman Alex Saab and merging key ministries. These changes mark the seventh high-level personnel shift in just twelve days of leadership following the arrest of Nicolás Maduro. In an official statement, Rodríguez announced the creation of a new body resulting from the merger of the Ministry of Industries and National Production with the Ministry of National Commerce. Additionally, she appointed Aníbal Coronado as the new Minister of Transport. Previously, Rodríguez had appointed Captain Juan Escalona, a member of Maduro's security team, as Minister of the Presidential Office, and former Central Bank President Calixto Ortega as Vice President for Sectoral Economy. In her official message, Rodríguez thanked the businessman 'for his service to the homeland' and noted that he 'will assume new responsibilities,' without providing details on his future role within the state structure. The succession of changes reflects Rodríguez's intention to consolidate political and institutional control during a transitional period marked by internal tensions, external pressures, and the need to redefine the government's direction after Maduro's abrupt departure from power.
