Acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, during the swearing-in ceremony for new appointed ministers, held in Miraflores Palace, Caracas, on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Photo: Venezuelan Presidential Press.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com/)—Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has conducted the official swearing-in ceremony for new members of her executive cabinet at Miraflores Palace. The ceremony formalized appointments aimed at consolidating national stability and ensuring administrative continuity through technical capacity, loyalty, and professional expertise.
New leadership in culture and university education
The ceremony was held this Thursday, March 19. After the first batch of ministerial appointments was announced on Wednesday, Rodríguez additionally appointed Raúl Cazal as the new Minister of Culture, succeeding Ernesto Villegas. Cazal is a renowned journalist, editor, and cultural promoter, with an extensive career in literature and communication. He previously served as deputy culture minister for cultural economic development, president of the National Book Center (Cenal), and director of the National Printing Office. Since 2023, he has led the organization of the Venezuela International Book Fair (Filven), promoting policies to encourage reading and publishing.
The acting president emphasized that this designation comes at a time that calls for deepening the cultural awareness of all Venezuelans. She explained that Cazal holds the responsibility of continuing to exalt the essence of Venezuela and the value of national roots to bolster national identity.
Together with Cazal, Rodríguez appointed Ana María Sanjuán to lead the Ministry for University Education, replacing Ricardo Sánchez. Sanjuán, a professor at the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), is a social psychologist and political analyst who previously served as executive secretary of the Program for Democratic Coexistence and Peace.
In an announcement on social media, Rodríguez highlighted Sanjuán’s “great pedagogical vocation” and described her as a woman of values dedicated to the nation’s youth. The acting president explained that Sanjuán’s primary task is to transform the university system through “plural thinking,” while strengthening the academic training and future opportunities necessary for the development of Venezuela.
Institutional transitions and the ombudsperson process
Former minister Ernesto Villegas is currently on the shortlist of candidates for the position of Venezuela’s Ombudsperson. This process is being conducted by the National Assembly alongside the selection of a new attorney general, following the resignation of Tarek William Saab. Many analysts have suggested Villegas is a likely candidate to lead that office.
Rodríguez appointed Tarek William Saab as the head of the Great Mission Viva Venezuela, Mi Patria Querida (Long Live Venezuela, My Beloved Homeland), which is attached to the Office of the President. In this role, Saab will be responsible for strengthening cultural identity and the pride of being Venezuelan by supporting traditional, original, and popular national soul.
Defense and security appointments
Gustavo González has assumed the leadership of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB), replacing Vladimir Padrino. Analysts explain that this appointment reaffirms the acting president's trust in González, who was previously appointed as head of the Presidential Honor Guard following the US empire's bombing of Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro.
While Padrino was long viewed as a solid and necessary leader for Chavismo, his credentials had been faced with scrutiny following the US invasion of Venezuela on January 3 and the subsequent questionable military response. Rodríguez thanked Padrino for his years of loyalty, referring to him as "the first soldier in the defense of our homeland."
https://OrinocoTribune.com/venezuela-acting-president-rodriguez-appoints-new-defense-minister-more-cabinet-changes/
Strategic expertise and technical optimization
The recent cabinet changes reflect a commitment to employing highly qualified experts in each position to improve the overall performance of the government, such as the appointment of Jacqueline Faría as the new minister for transportation. Faría, a long-standing Chavista leader and PSUV deputy, was an active member of the Movimiento 80 in the Central University of Venezuela, in which Rodríguez also participated.
The Venezuelan government seeks to optimize public administration with experienced technical staff to face the challenges of 2026. According to a statement from Miraflores Palace, this ceremony represents a close to a cycle of transition and opens a new stage of direct implementation within communities. Outgoing authorities received recognition for their commitment and will assume new tasks in the national transformation process.
New cabinet appointments and institutional leaders
• Ministry of Defense: G/J Gustavo González López replaces G/J Vladimir Padrino López.
• Ministry for Habitat and Housing: M/G Jorge Márquez Monsalve replaces G/D Raúl Paredes.
• Ministry for Electrical Energy: Eng. Rolando Alcalá replaces Jorge Márquez Monsalve.
• Ministry of Transport: Eng. Jacqueline Faría replaces V/A Aníbal Coronado.
• Ministry for the Social Process of Labor: Mag. Carlos Alexis Castillo replaces Eduardo Piñate.
• Ministry of Culture: Raúl Cazal replaces Ernesto Villegas.
• Ministry for University Education: Ana María Sanjuán replaces Ricardo Sánchez.
• Great Mission Viva Venezuela: Tarek William Saab replaces Ernesto Villegas.
• Sectoral Vice President for Public Works and Services: Juan José Ramírez replaces Jorge Márquez Monsalve.
• DGCIM: Rear Admiral Germán Gómez Lárez replaces G/J Gustavo González López.
• Presidential Honor Guard: G/D Henry Navas Rumbos replaces G/J Gustavo González López.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/AU
