CARACAS, jJuly 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced he will maintain Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino in his post, following months of rumours that top military brass would be replaced after a failed uprising in April.
The Trump administration identified Padrino among the top officials involved in negotiations with opposition leader Juan Guaido to create a transition government on April 30, in response to the country’s economic meltdown.
Since then, Padrino has publicly professed loyalty to Maduro along with the majority of the armed forces, which are seen as the main reason why Maduro held on to power despite a hyperinflationary collapse.
“I’ve decided to ratify … Vladimir Padrino as minister so that he can continue to shine with his disposition, his intelligence, with his military leadership,” Maduro said during a military ceremony broadcast on state television.
The U.S. Treasury Department in 2018 sanctioned Padrino for helping Maduro maintain power through control of the military.
Padrino’s five-year tenure as defence minister has been unusually long, since most previous ministers over the last decade have not remained in office more than one year.
Military experts say he is past his retirement date, but add that he is seen as one of the few officials who can maintain cohesion among the ranks.
Separately, Venezuela’s largest refinery complex has been hit by a power outage, at a time of acute fuel shortages in parts of the crisis-torn oil producer, an opposition lawmaker said.
Luis Stefanelli, a deputy in the National Assembly, said there was a “general blackout” at the Amuay and Cardon refinery complex Saturday night.
“Access to both refineries has been closed and they have been taken over by the National Guard and officials of the SEBIN intelligence service,” he said.
Power failures are common in Venezuela and have grown in frequency since March especially in the interior of the country, which has also seen long lines at gasoline stations.
State oil company PDVSA has made no comment on the situation.
The refinery complex has been the scene of other incidents, including an explosion in August 2012 at the Amuay complex that killed 42 people, left five missing and injured nearly 80 others. — NNN-AGENCIES
