AP News, January 5th, 2007
President Hugo Chavez chose a political newcomer to be his new vice president as he laid the groundwork for sweeping internal changes to his party and reforms aimed at confronting problems from corruption to crime.
Chavez dismissed his longtime confidant Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel late Wednesday and said he would be replaced by Jorge Rodriguez, former chief of Venezuela's electoral council.
The move is part of a wider Cabinet shake-up and signals that Chavez, re-elected by a wide margin last month, is seeking fresh blood in his inner circle while planning to reform the constitution and found a single socialist party to replace some two dozen smaller Chavista parties.
"It's always good to refresh the team sometimes," Chavez said in an interview with state television. "All of these changes are without a doubt to strengthen ... and begin this new struggle deeply _ these new struggles: corruption, bureaucracy, economic development on the path to socialism."
Chavez said congressman Pedro Carreno would replace Jesse Chacon as interior and justice minister, and that other Cabinet changes would be announced before his swearing-in ceremony for another six-year term next Wednesday. Chavez has pledged to confront corruption, make government more efficient and lessen crime _ all of which polls reveal as prominent concerns among Venezuelans.
The steps Chavez may take to deepen his push for socialism are vague, but there is pressure from rank-and-file supporters for Chavez to purge his movement of midlevel leaders _ particularly at state and local levels _ who are perceived as corrupt opportunists, said Steve Ellner, a political scientist at Venezuela's University of the East.
"Rodriguez is an outsider, and this is what the rank-and-file are asking for. They're demanding a new kind of leadership," said Ellner. He added that he expects a "revolution within the revolution" as Chavez seeks to create a single party that is more responsive to his support base.
Rodriguez, a 41-year-old doctor, was a member of the National Electoral Council from 2003 to 2006, holding the presidency for the last year of his stint. In that role, he had faced criticism from Chavez opponents who accused him of a pro-government bias even as he insisted he was nonpartisan.
Opposition politician Gerardo Blyde said the appointment shows Rodriguez "was never an impartial guy." He added that Chavez's plan for the new Unified Socialist Party of Venezuela demonstrates the president "likes only one way of thinking _ his own."
Chavez defended his plan for a single party as a way of unifying forces and said there should be "internal democracy."
The younger Rodriguez does not have the stature of Rangel, 77, a veteran political figure who also has been Chavez's defense and foreign minister over the years.
On Thursday, the government also said congressman Rodrigo Cabezas was appointed finance minister, replacing Nelson Merentes.
