Maduro and his Ministerial merry-go-round

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Shortly after the massive power outage in Venezuela, President Nicolás Maduro announced a “profound restructuring” and all the calls on his Ministers to resign. The timing leaves a lot of questions.

In the midst of the weeks most bitterly fought power struggle between the government and the Opposition, the Venezuelan head of state Nicolas Maduro wants to rebuild his Cabinet. He called on all the Ministers,their Offices, such as Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez announced on Sunday via Twitter. The goal is a “profound restructuring was to protect the country from any threat”.

For Latin America-expert Günther Maihold of the science and politics Foundation in Berlin, the announcement of Maduro’s is not a particular Surprise: “The Cabinet reshufflings in the case of Maduro are usually year-on-Year, or even less.” In fact, Maduro has changed since he took office in 2013, several members of his Cabinet and military officials in the key ministries of oil and Interior appointed.

“The remarkable thing about the announcement is more of the time”, analyzes Maihold. Since the end of January, fighting between Maduro and the self-appointed interim President, Juan Guaidó raging in Venezuela. This debate, and a massive power outage that put a week the entire country to a standstill, have exacerbated the crisis in Venezuela. President Maduro fights with all means for the preservation of his Power.

Calls for his resignation from the party

What role can play a radical government reshuffle? Maihold has three options: “The first hypothesis might be that it goes to him after the Disaster of power outage, a change of image. The second hypothesis would be that the military try their items, to expand, and he takes this to bind them more securely to the Regime. For the third could it be that he is internally under pressure of certain individuals.”

The power grid is due to a lack of investment and mismanagement dilapidated

The dismissal of the energy Minister, Luis Motta Dominguez is after a week-long country-wide power failure, and a chaotic management of the crisis at Hand. Since the Minister is not only criticised by the Opposition sharp. Last November, the Communist party of Venezuela (PCV) had demanded his dismissal because he is investing too little in infrastructure and maintenance of the electricity network.

The fact that such an extensive reshuffle of the Vice-President on Twitter, and not Maduro himself proclaims, is for Maihold not unusual: “Delcy Rodriguez is his absolute Confidant and has made known yet never your own opinion.” With the promulgation by the Vice-President, the President attempts to demonstrate normality, so Maihold.

From a European point of view, the high number of Ministers is already in Venezuela sit up and take notice. With more than 30 Ministers the country has a larger apparatus than comparable countries. Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri has reduced in the past year, the number of ministries from 22 to 10.

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó: “driving through the country, and everywhere to celebrate”

More continuity in the government

The resignation of the Minister does not necessarily indicate a fresh start. Such a procedure was common in Latin America. Maihold: “All submit your resignation, then about two-thirds remain at their Posts. There’s also in other countries such as in Peru or Mexico”. This was also to be expected now in Venezuela. “In the last Cabinet, people have been remodeling just about anywhere or be deported.” Many new faces are expected to be.

Last Saturday (16.03.) President Maduro promised during a visit to the state electricity utility Corpoelec a restructuring of the company and the establishment of a unit of the army devoted to the protection of important businesses against “cyber-attacks”. An announcement that could speak for the appeal of further military on key Ministerial posts. Maduro makes a of the United States, and the Opposition reportedly planned cyber attack for the collapse of the power supply. The opponents of the government speak in terms of displaced investment and corruption.