CARACAS - Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizalez, who also holds the title of defense minister, resigned Monday for personal reasons, he said in a statement.

"My resignation is not the result of any discrepancy with government decisions, and any other version about my reasons for resigning is false and malicious," Carrizales said in a statement.

His resignation over alleged differences with leftist President Hugo Chavez had been rumored since Saturday.

Carrizalez's wife and Environment Minister, Yubiri Ortega, also resigned her post.

The couple were writing their resignation letters for Chavez, the statement said.

Chavez on Sunday shut down six television stations, including chief opposition media outlet RCTV, for not broadcasting his speeches, in the latest move by the leader to advance his socialist agenda and control of the country since he took office in 1999.