Chavez names Rodriguez to finance post
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has named Ali Rodriguez, a trusted ally who has also served as head of state oil company PDVSA, to lead the finance ministry.
Rodriguez, who was a fighter in the Venezuelan guerrilla movement in the 1970s, is currently ambassador to close ally Cuba. He was once secretary general of Opec and has served as foreign minister.
"Ali Rodriguez is going to be the new finance minister," Chavez said on his weekly television show. "He is a man of great experience and honesty. A card-carrying revolutionary."
Oil expert Rodriguez is widely respected in crude-exporting Venezuela where he is seen as a negotiator. Chavez frequently recycles his cabinet, keeping trusted people close to him during his nine years in office, Reuters reported.