Venezuela
Country in N South America, on the Caribbean Sea, bounded E by Guyana,
S by Brazil, and W by Colombia.
Government
Venezuela is a federal republic of 20 states, two federal territories,
and a federal district based on the capital, Caracas. The 1961 constitution
provides for a president, who is head of state and head of government,
and a two-chamber national congress, consisting of a senate and a chamber
of deputies. The president is elected by universal suffrage for a five-year
term and may not serve two consecutive terms. The president appoints
and presides over a council of ministers. The senate has 43 members
elected by universal suffrage, on the basis of two representatives for
each state and two for the federal district, plus any living ex-presidents.
The chamber has 205 deputies, also elected by universal suffrage. Both
chambers serve five-year terms, concurrent with that of the president.
History
Columbus visited Venezuela in 1498, and there was a Spanish settlement
from 1520. In 1811 a rebellion against Spain began, led by Simón Bolívar,
and Venezuela became independent in 1830. Dictatorship Venezuela's first
president, General José Antonio Páez (1830-48), established the pattern
of dictatorial rule. The claims of competing caudillos (military leaders)
kept the country in a state of constant turmoil.
Venezuela adopted a new constitution in 1961, and three years later
Rómulo Betancourt became the first president to have served a full term
of office. He was succeeded by Dr Raúl Leoni in 1964 and by Dr Rafael
Caldera Rodríguez in 1969. The latter did much to bring economic and
political stability, although underground abductions and assassinations
still occurred. In 1974 Carlos Andrés Pérez, of the Democratic Action
Party, became president, and stability increased.
In 1979 Dr Luis Herrera, leader of the Social Christian Party, was
elected. Austerity policies Against a background of growing economic
problems, the 1984 general election was contested by 20 parties and
13 presidential candidates. It was a bitterly fought campaign and resulted
in the election of Dr Jaime Lusinchi as president and a win for the
Democratic Action Party with an absolute majority in congress. President
Lusinchi's austere economic policies were unpopular, and he tried to
conclude a social pact among the government, trade unions, and business.
He reached an agreement with the government's creditor bankers for a
rescheduling of Venezuela's large public debt. In 1988 Venezuela suspended
payment on its foreign debt, which had grown due to a drop in oil prices
since the 1970s. In Feb 1989, newly elected president Carlos Andrés
Pé rez instituted price increases and other austerity measures designed
to satisfy $4.3 billion loan terms imposed by the International Monetary
Fund. Riots followed in which at least 300 people were killed and in
May a general strike was called in protest at the austerity programme.
Elections held in Dec were boycotted by the main opposition groups.
At a meeting in Caracas in May 1991, the leaders of the Andean Common
market countries agreed to create a Latin American free-trade zone.
Throughout 1990 and 1991 dissatisfaction with the austerity programme
increased, resulting in more violent demonstrations, especially by students.
In Feb 1992 an attempted coup by a group of army officers was foiled
by troops loyal to the president. Pressured by mounting public unrest,
Pérez promised major constitutional reforms. A second coup in Nov was
also unsuccessful. In May 1993 the supreme court ruled that Pérez could
be tried on corruption charges, and Ramon José Velasquez became interim
president. In the Dec 1993 presidential elections former president Dr
Rafael Caldera was successful. Pérez was arrested in May 1994 and placed
under house arrest pending trial. The country's financial situation
continued to deteriorate, prompting Caldera to announce economic-stabilization
measures in Nov 1994. Constitutional civil rights were suspended between
June 1994 and July 1995. In May 1996 Pérez was found guilty on corruption
charges and sentenced to imprisonment.
In July 1997 Venezuela suffered its worst earthquake in decades. The
earthquake registered 6.9 on the Richter scale, killed 59 people
and injured about 320.
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