By Ayomide Otitoju
Venezuela’s caretaker president, Delcy Rodríguez, on Tuesday appointed former central bank director Calixto Ortega Sánchez as her government’s top economic official, marking her first cabinet change since assuming office.
Ortega Sánchez, who headed Venezuela’s central bank between 2018 and 2025 and has prior experience in the oil sector, takes over a portfolio previously held by Rodríguez herself before the removal of former leftist leader Nicolás Maduro.
Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president on Monday, two days after a US military operation that resulted in Maduro’s arrest and transfer to New York to face trial. Before becoming caretaker president, she served as vice president and oversaw Venezuela’s key hydrocarbons sector, in addition to managing economic policy.
Speaking in a televised address, Rodríguez said the government aims to consolidate recent economic gains, citing a projection by the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) that forecasts 6.5 per cent economic growth for Venezuela in 2025.
Despite the optimistic outlook, Venezuela’s economy remains fragile, with continued depreciation of the local currency fuelling concerns over a possible return to hyperinflation.
Rodríguez, who has served as vice president since 2018, is widely credited with helping steer the country out of a prolonged economic crisis by easing currency controls and allowing greater dollarization of the economy.
Her interim administration is operating under close scrutiny from the United States, with President Donald Trump indicating he would engage with Rodríguez if she complies with US expectations, while also stating his desire for “total access” to Venezuela’s oil resources.
