Mr Chavez named the soft-spoken Ramon Carrizalez to the number two job in 2008, and in 2009 appointed him to simultaneously serve as defence minister. But on Monday he stepped down, citing personal reasons. Mr Chavez is facing growing discontent over shortages of electricity and water and sharply devalued the currency this month. The Leftist leader is preparing for elections in September that could reduce his tight grip of the OPEC nation's parliament. State-backed news network Telesur reported that Mr Carrizalez' wife, Yuviri Ortega, the environment minister, had also resigned. Mr Carrizalez denied the resignations had to do with differences with the government, Telesur reported. A government official confirmed the resignation but did not provide details. Mr Carrizalez, a close Chavez confidant who is a former army officer like the president, was seen as one of the government's more capable administrators. This month Mr Chavez fired a recently named electricity minister for botching a Caracas electricity rationing scheme. He has also changed his finance minister, Ali Rodriguez, who he named new electricity minister this month. Left-wing academic Jorge Giordani took over the finance ministry. Mr Carrizalez previously served as infrastructure minister and housing minister. He took on some of the nation's thorniest problems including its acute housing deficit and the 2006 collapse of a crucial bridge linking Caracas to the airport and its main port. Mr Chavez named Mr Carrizalez vice-president just after his first-ever ballot box defeat in a constitutional overhaul referendum in 2007, replacing the combative Jorge Rodriguez.Venezuela's vice-president resigns as Chavez's problems grow
Venezuela's vice-president, who was also defence minister, resigned on Monday, adding to the political problems facing President Hugo Chavez.
Tuesday 26 January 2010
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