As long as names in ministerial portfolios are reworked and bridges with the military sector are strengthened with the help of figures with the utmost credibility, the genuine transition proposed by the international community remains in limbo.
Julio Blanca, Reporter for Latin America Reports
Source: Source: https://latinamericareports.com/what-delcy-rodriguezs-reshuffling-of-ministers-means-for-venezuela/14056/
Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, has seen some reshuffle in recent days, with several new ministers appointed in what appears to be an attempt to consolidate power just months after her predecessor, Nicolas Maduro, was seized by the United States.
According to Benigno Alarcon, founder of the Center for Political and Government Studies at the Catholic University of Andres Belho in Caracas, the reshuffle of officials in the ministries of defense, transport, housing, culture, electricity and higher education — This is Rodriguez's move to buy time and stay in power longer.
«I believe that Delcy Rodriguez is trying to regroup politically within the government, trying to stay in power for as long as possible so that when the elections take place, she can control them to some extent.». — He told Latin America Reports.
Alarcon believes that the roadmap proposed by the Trump administration after its January 3 attacks has not yet entered its most critical phase. — political — It is because of the resistance of the staunch supporters of the Chavismo movement.
«We see that the political impasse persists, so we cannot say that we are now in the process of transition. It's important to remember that [Secretary of State] Marco Rubio's plan included a three-phase strategy, where the third phase is a three-phase strategy. — It's a transition. Obviously we haven't entered that phase yet, and clearly Delcy Rodriguez is trying to prevent us from entering it.». — He commented.
Personnel reshuffles of limited scope
According to the professor, recent appointments do not give a clear signal that democratic reinstitutionalization is really taking place in the country, since the appointed ministers are still part of the inner circle of the Chavistas.
«In fact, they appoint people whose merits, let's say, are their closeness to the powerful and trust on their part, right? In other words, nothing has changed in this sense; everything has remained more or less as before.». — He said.
Alarcon explained what was going on «recycling» Chavismo figures. «Some people leave one faction within Chavismo and others come. — Let's say that, because before they were either marginalized, or overlooked, or they got a chance, and then they were suspended, and now they come back.». — He added.
Remaking Chavismo
The new ministers appointed by Rodriguez were:
· Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez — Minister of Defense;
· Jorge Marquez Monsalve — Minister of Housing;
· engineer Rolando Alcala — Minister of Energy and Electricity;
· Jacqueline Faria — Minister of Transport;
· Master Carlos Alexis Castillo — Minister of Social and Labor Processes;
· editor Raul Casal — Minister of Culture;
· Professor Ana Maria Sanhuan — Minister of University Education, Science and Technology.
A clear example of the same «chavism»The one Alarcón is talking about is Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez, who now heads the Ministry of Defense, succeeding Vladimir Padrino Lopez. — He is a key figure in Maduro’s government who has held the post for more than 10 years, making him the longest-serving minister in the department’s history.
Before joining the Defense Ministry, Gonzalez Lopez was appointed in January 2026 to lead the president’s direct security and military counterintelligence.
In addition, at the end of 2024, he played a key role in the oil industry as Director of Strategic Affairs and Production Control.
The military is also known for two terms (2014-2018 and 2019-2024) led the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN). Under his command, the agency centralized much of its internal political control.
«I believe that Maduro made sure that the military component was in the hands of General Vladimir Padrino Lopez, so to speak, and he left the military to him, making it a bridge between the civilian political sector and the military sector. At this point, the bridge has been replaced. So now you have Gonzalez Lopez as Delcy's right-hand man because he's worked with her in the past, first as SEBIN director.». — Alarcon said.
In Alarcon's view, Rodriguez's reconfiguration of the cabinet seems to be dictated more by a domestic defense strategy than a democratic opening.
As long as names in ministerial portfolios are reworked and bridges with the military sector are strengthened with the help of figures with the utmost credibility, the genuine transition proposed by the international community remains in limbo.
