Venezuela's Maduro plans to replace oil minister El Aissami

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro plans to replace Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami, a key ruling party official who also serves Venezuela's OPEC representative and board member of the state oil firm, in spite of health concerns, according to eight sources close to the decision.

According to the sources, El Aissami's health has decreased in recent weeks, making him incapable of performing his ministerial duties at least temporarily, due to the matter's sensitive nature.

According to three of the residents, the minister, who is recognized for helping Venezuela weather U.S. sanctions, recently underwent major surgeries.

Four sources claim that Maduro may hire Asdrubal Chavez, a cousin of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who is state-run Petroleos de Venezuela's (PDVSA) current president, at least temporarily, as oil minister.

Chavez formerly worked as oil minister and head of PDVSA's United States subsidiary Citgo Petroleum.

According to the sources, a final decision on whether or not to name a replacement for El Aissami's other government responsibilities has not been made.

The oil ministry, the oil ministry, and the information ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the minister's health, as well as Maduro's plans, according to the PDVSA.

El Aissami was not immediately reached for comment, so El Aissami couldn't be reached immediately.

Three sources confirmed that the official's slaying from duties is believed to be due to a shakeup in PDVSA that said key executives who had worked with El Aissami in several divisions and subsidiaries, including its maritime division and the supply and trading department, respectively.

"His supply and trade department staff has been dismembered, and it's only a matter of time before he is replaced," one of the people said.

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El Aissami began directing PDVSA as a board member and head of a restructuring committee in 2018; last year, he also held the position of oil minister and top representative of Venezuela before OPEC.

Despite large-ranging U.S. sanctions, the minister, who is also Maduro's vice president for economy, has a reputation of producing results and developing crucial cooperation with nations like Iran. He has played a significant role in assisting his government maintain a functioning economy.

He's been on the list of sanctioned persons facing drug trafficking charges since 2017, and in 2019 he's been on the U.S. immigration and customs enforcement's "most-wanted" list.

El Aissami has denied the crimes, tout en accusing Washington of making illegal penalties on the nation, while accusing Washington of punishing the country.

El Aissami, like his predecessor in the oil industry, has failed to achieve the production objectives set by Maduro for resurrecting over 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of lost production in the nation.

Venezuela's oil output has dropped from 2.5 million bpd to a decade ago, when US sanctions put years of underinvestment and poor administration of the oil industry behind.

However, in recent months, El Aissami's administration has been able to boost 900,000 barrels of daily production, generating expectations for the first time since sanctions were imposed that Venezuela's production may stabilize.