Chavez swears in new cabinet

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has sworn in his new vice president and six other cabinet ministers, less than a week after winning a new mandate to extend his self-styled Bolivarian revolution.

Former foreign minister Nicolas Maduro replaced Elias Jaua as vice president.

The former bus driver, 49, is considered the member of Chavez’s government with the closest ties to Cuba’s Fidel and Raul Castro, dating back to his youth.

The vice-presidential job has assumed new importance because of Chavez’s recent struggle with cancer.