Venezuelan fencer appointed as the new Sport Minister

Alejandra Benitez, taken in 2008 by David Maris for a Venezuelan publication

Last Monday, Venezuelan fencer and Pan American medalist Alejandra Benitez was sworn as new Sport Minister by President Nicolas Maduro.

Benitez briefly ventured in modeling, causing the admiration of many, particularly after posing nude in 2008 for a special Sunday Magazine of “Ultimas Noticias” of Venezuela. The online edition of this media published the special photo-shoot in which Benitez participated, ‘The country undresses itself’.

The athlete, 32, tweeted her desires in this new facet: “Efficiency or Nothing. Today a new challenge begins and I will assume it with the same commitment of the athlete who defends her country no matter what.”

Benitez, who began fencing at the age of 14, with the foil, she won the gold medal with the fencing team in the competitions of the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador (2002), then, silver medalist in the women’s saber Pan American Games in Santo Domingo 2003 and Guadalajara 2011 and qualified for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, Beijing 2008 and London 2012.