The Secretary-General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Mr Ali Rodriguez, has quit to become the president of Venezuela's state-owned oil monopoly, the country's oil minister has said.
Mr Rodriguez, who became OPEC Secretary-General last year, was under heavy pressure from President Hugo Chavez to head Petroleos de Venezuela.
Venezuela is the fourth-largest oil exporter in the world and a leading member of OPEC. Petroleos de Venezuela was at the centre of a dispute that sparked last week's failed coup against Mr Chavez.
Mr Rodriguez, a former Venezuelan oil minister, has shared Mr Chavez's interest in trying to keep oil prices high by sharply limiting crude production by the group's 11 member countries.
Mr Chavez tried to assert control over the state oil company by appointing supporters to key positions in the company in February. Many managers perceived the moves as political interference.
The dispute boiled over this month when dissident executives and oil workers began a work slowdown that almost choked production and exports.
Venezuela's largest business and labour groups called a general strike to support them, and a storm of opposition swept Mr Chavez from office on April 12th. The coup collapsed, and Mr Chavez was back in office by last Sunday.
AP