Padrino, 62, had held the position since 2014 and was considered Maduro's key ally within the military high command

Padrino, 62, had held the position since 2014 and was considered Maduro's key ally within the military high command

Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez announced the sacking Wednesday of defense minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, who headed the country's military for almost a decade under ousted leader Nicolas Maduro.

Rodriguez, who took over after Maduro was deposed by US forces in January, thanked Lopez for his "dedication, his loyalty to the homeland, and for having served all these years as the foremost soldier in the defense of the country."

Originally published on doc.afp.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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