Marcos Pérez Jiménez

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49th President of Venezuela
Marcos Pérez Jiménez

In office December 2, 1952 – January 23, 1958
Preceded by	Germán Suárez Flamerich
Succeeded by	Wolfgang Larrazábal

Born	April 25, 1914(1914-04-25) Michelena, Táchira
Died	September 20, 2001 (aged 87) Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain
Spouse	Flor María Chalbaud Cardona
Religion	Roman Catholic
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Marcos Pérez Jiménez (April 25, 1914 – September 20, 2001) was a soldier and President of Venezuela from 1952 to 1958.

1 Career
2 Presidency
3 Post-Presidency
4 See also

[edit] Career

Marcos Evangelista Pérez Jiménez was born in Michelena, Táchira State. His father Juan Pérez Bustamante was a farmer and his mother Adela Jiménez a schoolteacher. He attended school in his home town and Colombia, and graduated from the Military Academy of Venezuela at the top of his class in 1934. He subsequently studied at military colleges in Peru.

In 1945, he participated in a coup that helped install Rómulo Betancourt (from the Democratic Action party), as President of the Revolutionary Government Junta. In 1947 free elections were held and Rómulo Gallegos was elected. In 1948, he participated in another coup under the leadership of Lt. Col. Carlos Delgado Chalbaud, a graduate of France's military academy, that ousted Gallegos due to the excesive partidism and populism of his government. From November 24, 1948 until 1952, Venezuela was ruled by a military junta headed by Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Delgado Chalbaud, that included Pérez. On November 13, 1950, Delgado Chalbaud was murdered. The junta elected attorney Germán Suárez as provisional president, but the real power behind him was Pérez. In 1952 general elections were held which the government did not recognize and Pérez became president of Venezuela. During his tenure, Venezuela was transformed into the most modern nation in Latin America.

[edit] Presidency

The junta called an election for 1952. When early results showed that the opposition leader was ahead and would win, the junta suspended the election and made Pérez President.

Pérez changed the name of the country, which had been "United States of Venezuela" since 1864, to "Republic of Venezuela". This name would remain until 1999, when President Hugo Chávez changed it to Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish: República Bolivariana de Venezuela.)

During his government, Pérez undertook many infrastructure projects, including construction of roads, bridges, government buildings, large public housing complexes and the symbolic Humboldt Hotel overlooking Caracas. The economy of Venezuela developed rapidly during his term. Like most dictators, Pérez was not tolerant of criticism and his government ruthlessly pursued and suppressed the opposition. While Pérez was president of Venezuela, the government of the United States awarded him the U.S. Legion of Merit.

In December 1957, the government held a plebiscite which Pérez won by a wide margin. Few people trusted the official results.

[edit] Post-Presidency

In January 1958, there was a general uprising and, with rioting in the streets, Pérez left the country. He moved to the United States, where he lived until 1963, when he was extradited to Venezuela on charges of embezzling $200 million during his presidential tenure. He was sent to jail until 1968, when he was released and exiled to Spain. In 1968, he was elected to the Senate, but his election was thrown out on a technicality.

Pérez had four daughters with his wife, Flor Chalbaud, and one daughter with Marita Lorenz. He died in Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain, at the age of 87.