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Spain's PM shakes up cabinet

From CNN Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman

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Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is reshuffling his cabinet.

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Jose Luis Rodriguez
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MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced Friday that Defense Minister Jose Bono would leave his post and be replaced by Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso.

Alonso, who is from Zapatero's home region, is to be replaced by a trusted Zapatero aide in Parliament.

It is the first Cabinet shuffle since Zapatero's Socialist government assumed power two years ago, after winning an upset victory over the conservatives just three days after the deadly Madrid train bombings.

In a surprise appearance -- nationally televised on short notice at the prime minister's compound -- Zapatero said Bono had asked to be relieved some time ago, but they decided to delay making the change until a series of laws reforming the military had been approved.

The new interior minister will be Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, the Socialist majority leader in Parliament. He previously held two Cabinet positions, including education and science minister, and was for a time chief government spokesman under the former Socialist government of Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez.

Rubalcaba has since become a top party strategist in Parliament and for elections.

Some political analysts said that Zapatero may have tapped Rubalcaba now for the Interior Ministry -- which is in charge of police and security -- to help guide the potential peace process, after the outlawed Basque separatist group ETA declared, last month, its first-ever "permanent" cease-fire after 27 years of separatist violence blamed for more than 800 killings.

Rubalcaba has long been involved in shaping anti-terrorism policy for the Socialists and is a seasoned communicator in dealing with the news media.

Zapatero on Friday also announced that the education and science minister, Maria Jesus San Segundo, will be replaced by Mercedes Cabrera Calvo-Sotelo, whom Zapatero is bringing to the post from parliament.

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