Delcy Rodriguez replaces Venezuela’s Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffMarch 18, 2026 at 09:11 PM

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Delcy Rodriguez, Venezuela's interim President, announced the replacement of longtime Defence Minister General Vladimir Padrino, a key figure in Nicolas Maduro's administration. Padrino, who held the position for 11 years since 2014, is being reassigned to unspecified "new responsibilities." No reason was given for the change. Padrino's departure follows other recent high-level government shake-ups, including the departure of the government ombudsman and the resignation of the attorney general. Padrino's tenure as Defence Minister was marked by accusations of military corruption and abuses, including violent crackdowns on protesters, as well as the military's increasing influence in key economic sectors.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Alfredo Ruiz 35% Tarek William Saab ×240% United Nations (UN) 40% Cilia Flores 40% United States 60% Nicolás Maduro (Maduro) ×470% Delcy Rodriguez ×380% Vladimir Padrino Lopez (Vladimir Padrino) ×590% Venezuela ×695%

Keywords

venezuela 100% defence minister 90% vladimir padrino 80% delcy rodriguez 70% nicolas maduro 70% military 60% government shake-up 60% cabinet-level departure 50% human rights abuses 50% political transition 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: -0.10

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Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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venezuela defence minister vladimir padrino delcy rodriguez nicolas maduro military government shake-up cabinet-level departure human rights abuses political transition

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