The New Cabinet - Aristobulo made VP, Luis Salas Economy Tsar

While Maduro speaks, a strange situation is developing outside the National Assembly.  Vicepresident Aristóbulo Istúriz – Anzoategui State Governor and old time Causa R organizer made Vice-President. Very bright guy....

While Maduro speaks, a strange situation is developing outside the National Assembly. 

Vicepresident

  • Aristóbulo Istúriz – Anzoategui State Governor and old time Causa R organizer made Vice-President. Very bright guy. Total extremist, of course.

New Economic Cabinet:

  • New Economics Vicepresident (without portfolio) – Luis Salas (Total nutter. Read his proposals – if you have the stomach for it – here.)
  • Banking and Finance – Rodolfo Medina (former UCV econ professor, former head of research for the Banco de Venezuela, former National Budget Director – Utter unknown. An actual economist for once. Apparently understands econometrics, which should help.)
  • Tourism – Marleny Contreras (again)
  • Oil Ministry + PDVSA – Eulogio del Pino (keeps his old job)
  • Industry and Commerce – Miguel Pérez Abad (Longtime government yes-man)
  • Foreign Trade and International Investment – Jesús Faría (Outgoing A.N. member, lost to José Guerra. At least a proponent of exchange rate unification.)
  • Agricultural and Lands – Comander Castro Sotel
  • Fish and Fisheries – Admiral Ángel Belisario (Now we’re talking priorities!)
  • Urban Agriculture – Enma Ortega (Se nota que lo que faltaba era ministerios…)
  • Sovereignty and Food Safety – Rodolfo Marco Torres (He’s out of Finance! Hallelujah!)
  • Planning Minister and Vice-President: Ricardo Menéndez

New Social Cabinet:

  • VP for Social Area, and Minister for University Education, Science and Technology – Jorge Arreaza.
  • Health – Luisana Melo
  • Education – Rodulfo Pérez
  • Women – Gladys Requena (again)
  • Indigenous People – Clara Vidal (again)
  • Prisons Service – Iris Varela (again)
  • Culture – Freddy Ñáñez
  • Youth and Sport – Mervin Maldonado (will need to leave his AN seat)
  • Labour – Osvaldo Vera

Other posts

  • Foreign Affairs/VP for “Political Sovereignty” – Delcy Rodríguez (again)
  • Interior – Mayor General Gustavo Enrique González López (Again)
  • Defense – Padrino López (again!!! – #quebolasestavaina)
  • Telecoms – Desirée Santos Amaral
  • Communications and Information (a.k.a., Propaganda) – Luis José Marcano
  • Borders – Izquierdo Torres
  • Transport and Public Works (What we used to call Infrastructure, right?) – Luis Sauce
  • Housing – Miguel Quevedo
  • Electric System – Luis Alfredo Motta Dominguez
  • Ecosocialism and Water (You can’t make this stuff up!) – Ernesto Taiba
  • Caracas Parallel Government – Daniel Aponte

8:03 – What Venezuela needs now is more billboards advertising public works. Oh brother. Plus a piropo for Marcos Pérez Jiménez. Lo que faltaba. 

7:55 p.m. – Starts threatening Televen and – wait for it – Globovision. (?!?!?) Diosdado won’t like that.

7:18 p.m. – “Cilia and I have 50 laying hens at home. And a rooster.” !?!?!?!??!? In Miraflores? Now onto plan caraota and the pachamama…holy cow!

7:03 p.m. – Luis Salas made Economy Tsar. This is very bad – the death knell of any sliver of a chance of reform. Much more on him very soon.