CARACAS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela has merged its Foreign Ministry and Foreign Trade Ministry into a new Ministry of Foreign Relations and Foreign Trade, acting President Delcy Rodriguez announced Monday.
Rodriguez named Felix Plasencia, a veteran diplomat and former foreign minister, to head the new ministry, replacing Yvan Gil, who had served as foreign minister since 2023.
She said Plasencia has broad diplomatic experience and will be responsible for leading Venezuela's foreign policy, defending its sovereignty, strengthening cooperation ties and promoting what she called "peace diplomacy" around the world.
Plasencia previously served as Venezuela's designated head of mission to the United States, Venezuela's foreign minister, executive secretary of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People's Trade Treaty, or ALBA-TCP, and Venezuela's ambassador to Colombia.
As part of the reshuffle, Rodriguez also named Gil as minister of science and technology, replacing Gabriela Jimenez, a biologist who had led the ministry since 2019. ■
