Venezuela's acting president replaces long-time defense minister with intelligence head

The president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, dismissed Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino on March 19, after he had led the ideologically driven armed forces for more than a decade. The acting head of state appointed in his place General-in-Chief Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez, whom she had named to lead the presidential guard and the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM) counterintelligence agency just days after taking office.