Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced Tuesday a cabinet reshuffle, tapping a new defense minister and cutting two ministries.

Vice President Ramon Carrizalez will replace Gen. Gustavo Rangel Briceno as defense minister while keeping his current position, said Jesse Chacon, minister of Information and Communication.

The housing ministry and the social protection ministry are to be merged with larger ministries to improve efficiency.

The reshuffle came after the Feb. 15 referendum that approved a constitutional amendment lifting the limit on presidential terms, allowing Chavez to run anew in the presidential election in 2012.

Under the changes, Eduardo Saman, director of Venezuela's consumer protection agency, was appointed Minister of Commerce, and Maria Cristina Iglesias was named Minister of Labor and Social Welfare.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2009)