Delcy Rodríguez, the interim president of Venezuela, has appointed petroleum engineer Paula Henao as the country’s new Minister of Hydrocarbons, a key role in the oil-rich nation’s government.
The announcement was made by Rodríguez on Telegram, where she said Henao will be responsible for strengthening Venezuela’s oil, gas, and petrochemical industries and continuing efforts to boost the country’s energy sector.
Henao brings more than 20 years of experience in the energy sector and previously served as deputy minister in charge of oil, working with the state-owned oil company Petróleos de Venezuela.
The appointment comes shortly after visits by senior officials from the administration of Donald Trump, who discussed ways to increase oil and gas production in Venezuela following the removal of former president Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.
Rodríguez assumed power in January after a U.S. military operation captured Maduro and his wife, triggering major political changes in the country.
Since taking office, Rodríguez has prioritized reviving Venezuela’s sanction-hit oil industry as part of efforts to address the country’s long-running economic crisis. Her government has introduced reforms aimed at opening the energy sector to private investment and increasing production.
The United States has also issued sanctions waivers to several major energy companies, allowing them to operate in Venezuela as part of broader efforts to rebuild the country’s oil sector and stimulate economic recovery.
Henao’s appointment is seen as another step in the government’s ongoing effort to restructure leadership and accelerate reforms in Venezuela’s vital energy industry.
