Jorge Giordani back as Venezuela Planning Minister

Forbes.com-Reuters Reuters, 04.22.03, 3:24 PM ET

CARACAS, Venezuela, April 22 (Reuters) - Venezuelan left-wing academic Jorge Giordani, who served as President Chavez's Planning Minister in the first three years of his rule, is returning to the post, Chavez said Tuesday. Giordani, who had served as Planning Minister until May last year, replaces Felipe Perez, who was dismissed after public disagreements over foreign exchange controls and other official policies in the world's No. 5 oil exporter. "I'm swearing in Jorge Giordani this evening ... he's coming back to the Planning and Development Ministry post," Chavez told reporters during a ceremony to open a new state food store in Caracas.