Venezuela crisis: Maduro calls on ministers to resign

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is planning a reorganization of his cabinet - in the midst of a power struggle with the opposition leader Guaidó. Whether the ministers really submit their resignation is not clear.

Maduro has demanded that all ministers give up their posts for a "profound restructuring" of the government of the South American state, wrote his deputy Delcy Rodríguez on Twitter. So the country should be protected from any threat. What exactly the changes in the cabinet will look like and whether the more than 30 ministers will actually submit their resignations remained unclear at first.

El Pdte @NicolasMaduro ha solicitado a todo el Gabinete Ejecutivo poner sus cargos a la orden a los efectos de una reestructuración profunda de los métodos y funcionamiento del gobierno bolivariano para blindar la Patria de Bolívar y Chávez ante cualquier amenaza!

Shortly after his controversial re-election as President last June, Maduro had recaptured some posts and created new ministries. Big changes did not happen. Maduro's request to the Cabinet is now in the midst of a serious political crisis. Since the end of January in Venezuela raging power struggle between Maduro and the self-appointed interim president Juan Guaidó. In addition, a massive blackout had made the state even more chaotic and paralyzed for days.

Guaidó calls for "Operation Freedom"

Guaidó visited the state of Vargas on Sunday. The people must organize to depose Maduro, wrote the opposition leader on Twitter. Supporters of Guaidó held demonstrations in several cities over the weekend. The 35-year-old leader of the disempowered Venezuelan parliament had called for "Operation Libertad", "Operation Freedom" and the organization of citizens in committees. Guaidó plans to march on the presidential palace in Caracas to bring movement in the deadlocked power struggle with Maduro. He did not name a date for this.

¡Mi #Vargas natal está listo y organizado para la # OperaciónLibertad!

Hoy recorrimos mi tierra desde la plaza El Cónsul hasta el Sector Sorocaima, hablando y organizando a nuestra gente para el siguiente paso. pic.twitter.com/ADrFNRv9RG

Guaidó declared himself interim president of the country with the world's largest oil reserves on January 23. He denounced President Maduro's legitimacy because his re-election last year did not meet democratic standards. Many opponents of the government were not allowed to run at that time, the largest opposition alliance boycotted the election because of unfair conditions. Although many countries have already recognized Guaidó as the rightful transitional president, in Venezuela he has yet to assert himself. Above all, the powerful military continues to hold Maduro.

Interview with Guaidó

"The regime threatens the German ambassador"

For the recent collapse of energy supply, Maduro blamed a cyber attack allegedly planned by the opposition and the US. Government opponents, on the other hand, see the reason for the delay in investments, corruption and poor maintenance of the facilities.