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South America and South Atlantic Islands
Venezuela |
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Last reviewed: 6 November 2009 |
Country information
HISTORY
1498 Christopher Columbus lands on Paria Peninsula
1681 Spanish crown takes over control of the colonies
1739 Political and military unification of Venezuela
1811 Venezuela proclaims independence from Spain
1812 Simón Bolívar establishes the Second Republic; is proclaimed Liberator
1823 Spanish are defeated in Battle of Carabobo
1830 Dissolution of Gran Colombia (Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela)
1845 Spain recognises independence of Venezuela with Treaty of Madrid
1922 Venezuela discovers oil transforming agrarian economy
1958 Overthrow of dictatorship of Perez Jimenez; beginning of democratic era
1960 OPEC created through Venezuelan initiative
1989 Numerous protests and riots in Caracas and surrounding area. Led to state of emergency
1992 Two unsuccessful coup attempts including one by Lt Col Hugo Chávez Frias
1998 Lt Col Hugo Chávez Frias wins Presidential elections
1999 Referendum approves new constitution. Establishment of the Fifth Republic. The official name of the country is changed to: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
2000 Presidential elections: won by Hugo Chávez Frias
2002 President Chávez temporarily ousted by coup; returns to power two days later
2002 Two month long general strike begins in December. Paralyses the economy and in particular the oil industry.
2004 President Chávez survives recall referendum and remains in power
2005 Pro Chávez coalition wins all seats in elections for National Assembly as opposition withdraws.
2006 President Chávez wins a second term in Presidential elections.
2007 Government’s Constitutional Reform proposals narrowly rejected in a referendum.
2009 Government’s Constitutional Reform proposals to allow elected officials to stand indefinitely approved in a referendum
Recent History
Following independence from Spain, military rule persisted until the trienio (a democratic experiment) in 1945-48. Military control was resumed in 1948 after a coup against the Acción Democrática AD) Government. Oppression under the military regime led to AD and their rival political party, the Comité de Organización Política Electoral Independiente (COPEI), joining forces to remove the military government in 1958.
President Rómulo Betancourt (1958 to 1964) is said to be responsible for establishing democracy as the norm for Venezuelan Government. Between 1958 and1988 the country was politically stable with AD and COPEI dominating national elections. Sharp fluctuations in oil prices from 1973-83 were partially to blame for Venezuela's period of recession in the 1980s. In response to the economic crisis of 1989, the Government of President Carlos Andrés Pérez started to implement a programme of free market reforms. The stabilisation and economic structural adjustment measures were deeply unpopular with a significant sector of the population. The situation reached breaking point on 27 February 1989 when there were widespread protests and severe civil unrest, now known as the Caracazco. The Government responded with force and introduced an extended state of emergency.
The ultimate result was a political crisis that undermined the Government and created the conditions for the attempted coup of 1992 led by Lt Col Hugo Chávez. The coup failed, but Chávez emerged on to the political scene. He appeared on national television to instruct his co-conspirators to stand down and said he had failed 'por ahora' (for now). Chávez's supporters grasped this phrase as a sign that his time would come, and waited for his return from prison.
In 1998, 6 years after the attempted military coup, Chávez won Presidential elections. Voters approved a new constitution in 1999 that launched the 'Fifth Republic' and a process of reform. Chávez consolidated power in the presidential elections of 2000. He survived a coup attempt in April 2002 that removed him from power for two days. Chávez's opponents then focused on collecting a sufficient number of signatures to stage a recall referendum. They did so, but in August 2004 Chávez won the vote and is therefore still in power.
Chávez was re-elected for a second 6-year term in December 2006. After this victory the President asked his allies to merge into a single party: the Venezuelan United Socialist Party (PSUV), which had its Foundational Congress in early 2008. In December 2007, voters rejected a constitutional reform project drafted by the Government (by a narrow margin – 51% against, with 49% in favour).
On 15 February 2009 Venezuelans voted by 54.9% to 45.1% in a referendum to accept a constitutional amendment to allow elected officials to stand for an unlimited number of terms. Chavez has stated his intention to stand for re-election in 2012.
