List of Presidents of Venezuela

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The President of Venezuela (Spanish: Presidente de Venezuela) is both the head of state and head of government of Venezuela. The current presidential term is for six years with one possibility of immediate re-election, and with the constitutionally guaranteed recourse of holding a popular recall referendum anytime within the last three years of a presidential term. The current president of Venezuela is Hugo Chavez.

The designation "Presidente" encompasses only those persons who were sworn into office as President of Venezuela following Venezuela's declaration of independence from Spanish colonial rule, which took effect on July 5, 1811. The first president, taking office on July 5, 1811, was one of the three signatories of the Declaration of Independence: Cristóbal Mendoza. [1]

Owing to the profound turmoil of the South American Wars of Independence and the period of Gran Colombia over what is now Venezuela, this page has gaps between 1814 and 1819. The Congress of Angostura appointed Simón Bolivar "Jefe Supremo de la República de Venezuela" (Supreme Commander of the Republic of Venezuela) from 1819 until 1830. The list below includes interim 'caretaker' as well as regular serving presidents, and democratically-installed presidents as well as those installed by other means (e.g.; Marcos Pérez Jiménez).

Contents

Comments on presidential ordering

The first numbering column reflects the number of the presidency. Since its creation as a republic in 1811, Venezuela has had a total to date of 75 presidencies: a single person serving a single term beginning with Cristóbal Mendoza. The second column reflects uninterrupted time in office served by a single person. For example, Juan Crisóstomo Falcón served two consecutive terms and is counted in the first column as both 24th presidency and 25th presidency, but this is counted in the second column as the 20th presidential office. The third column lists the actual numbering of distinct individual presidents. Many of the men listed below became President on a provisional basis as they waited for the arrival of the elected or regular president, such as commonly occurs in the aftermath of a civil war, rebellion, or coup d'état. As a consequence, other Venezuelan presidential rosters may not choose to include the terms below, citing the extreme brevity of certain terms, unusual circumstances that may have surrounded a president's ascendancy into office, and other factors. The colors shaded about each president indicate the political party affiliation of each President (see key, below).

List of Presidents of Venezuela

      Conservative Party       Liberal Party       Independent       Military government       Democratic Action       COPEI       National Convergence       Fifth Republic Movement

#
(all)
#
(unique)
#
(selected
all)
President Dates in office Form of entry Occupation
1 1 1 President Mendoza.jpg Cristóbal Mendoza March 5, 1811 - March 21, 1812 Executive Triumvirate elected by First Congress Lawyer
2 2 2 Simón Bolívar, 1825.jpg Simón Bolívar August 6, 1813 - July 7, 1814 Indirect elections Military general
3 3 2 Simón Bolívar, 1825.jpg Simón Bolívar February 15, 1819 - December 17, 1819 Indirect elections Military general
4 4 3 Jose antonio paez.jpg José Antonio Páez January 13, 1830 - January 20, 1835 Indirect elections Military general
5 5 Andrés Narvarte.jpg Andrés Narvarte January 20, 1835 - February 9, 1835 Acting President Lawyer / politician
6 5 4 José María Vargas.jpg José María Vargas February 9, 1835 - July 9, 1835 Indirect elections Physician
7 Santiago Mariño.jpg Santiago Mariño[1] July 9, 1835 - July 27, 1835 Revolution Military general
8 6 José María Carreño 1.jpg José María Carreño July 27, 1835 - August 20, 1835 Acting President Military general
9 4 José María Vargas.jpg José María Vargas August 20, 1835 - April 24, 1836 Restoration Physician
10 6 5 Andrés Narvarte.jpg Andrés Narvarte April 24, 1836 - January 20, 1837 Interim caretaker Lawyer / politician
11 7 6 José María Carreño 1.jpg José María Carreño January 20, 1837 - March 11, 1837 Interim caretaker Military general
12 8 7 Carlos Soublette March 11, 1837 - February 1, 1839 Interim caretaker Military general
13 9 3 Jose antonio paez.jpg José Antonio Páez February 1, 1839 - January 28, 1843 Indirect elections Military general
14 10 7 Carlos Soublette January 28, 1843 - January 20, 1847 Indirect elections Military general
15 11 8 PresidenteJoseTadeoMonagas.jpg José Tadeo Monagas January 20, 1847 - February 5, 1851 Indirect elections Military general
16 12 9 JoseGregorioMonagas.jpg José Gregorio Monagas February 5, 1851 - January 20, 1855 Indirect elections Military general
17 13 8 PresidenteJoseTadeoMonagas.jpg José Tadeo Monagas January 20, 1855 - March 15, 1858 Indirect elections Military general
18 14 10 Pedrogual.jpg Pedro Gual Escandon March 15, 1858 - March 18, 1858 Provisional President Lawyer
19 15 11 Juliancastro.jpg Julián Castro March 18, 1858 - August 2, 1859 Coup d'état Military general
20 16 10 Pedrogual.jpg Pedro Gual Escandon August 2, 1859 - September 29, 1859 Provisional President Lawyer
21 17 11 Manuel Felipe de Tovar September 29, 1859 - May 20, 1861 Coup d'état (first term);
direct elections (second term)
Politician
22 18 10 Pedrogual.jpg Pedro Gual Escandon May 20, 1861 - August 29, 1861 Provisional President Lawyer
23 19 3 Jose antonio paez.jpg José Antonio Páez August 29, 1861 - June 15, 1863 Dictatorship Military general
24 20 12 Juan Crisóstomo Falcón June 15, 1863 - March 18, 1865 Victory in the Federal War (first term) Military general
25 20 12 Juan Crisóstomo Falcón March 18, 1865 - April 25, 1868 Indirect elections (second term) Military general
26 21 13 Manuel Ezequiel Bruzual 1.jpg Manuel Ezequiel Bruzual April 25, 1868 - June 28, 1868 Provisional President Military officer
27 22 14 Guillermo Tell Villegas 1.jpg Guillermo Tell Villegas June 28, 1868 - February 20, 1869 Provisional President Lawyer / Military
28 23 15 José Ruperto Monagas.jpg José Ruperto Monagas February 20, 1869 - April 16, 1870 Revolution Military general
29 24 14 Guillermo Tell Villegas 1.jpg Guillermo Tell Villegas April 16, 1870 - April 27, 1870 Provisional President Lawyer / Military
30 25 16 PresidenteGuzmanBlanco.jpg Antonio Guzmán Blanco April 27, 1870 - February 20, 1873 Revolution (first term) Lawyer / Military general
31 25 16 PresidenteGuzmanBlanco.jpg Antonio Guzmán Blanco February 20, 1873 - February 27, 1877 Indirect elections (second term) Lawyer / Military general
32 26 17 Francisco Linares Alcántara.jpg Francisco Linares Alcántara February 27, 1877 - November 30, 1878 Indirect elections Military general
33 27 18 José Gregorio Varela.jpg José Gregorio Valera November 30, 1878 - February 26, 1879 Provisional President Military general
34 28 16 PresidenteGuzmanBlanco.jpg Antonio Guzmán Blanco February 26, 1879 - May 12, 1880 Election by the Federal States Lawyer / Military general
35 28 16 PresidenteGuzmanBlanco.jpg Antonio Guzmán Blanco May 12, 1880 - 1882 Election by the Federal States Lawyer / Military general
36 28 16 PresidenteGuzmanBlanco.jpg Antonio Guzmán Blanco 1882 - April 26, 1884 Election by the Federal States Lawyer / Military general
37 29 18 JoaquinCrespo.jpg Joaquín Sinforiano de Jesús Crespo April 26, 1884 - September 15, 1886 Elections by the Federal States Military general
38 30 16 PresidenteGuzmanBlanco.jpg Antonio Guzmán Blanco September 15, 1886 - August 8, 1887 Elections by the Federal States Lawyer / Military general
39 31 19 Hermógenes López.jpg Hermógenes López August 8, 1887 - July 2, 1888 Intermin caretaker Military general
40 32 20 Juan Pablo Rojas Paúl July 2, 1888 - March 19, 1890 Elections by the Federal States Lawyer
41 33 27 Raimundo Andueza Palacio.jpg Raimundo Andueza Palacio March 19, 1890 - June 17, 1892 Elections by the Federal States Lawyer
42 34 Guillermo Tell Villegas 1.jpg Guillermo Tell Villegas June 17, 1892 - October 7, 1892 Provisional President Lawyer / Military
43 35 28 JoaquinCrespo.jpg Joaquín Sinforiano de Jesús Crespo October 7, 1892 - March 14, 1894 Revolution Military general
44 35 29 JoaquinCrespo.jpg Joaquín Sinforiano de Jesús Crespo March 14, 1894 - February 28, 1898 Elections by the Federal States Military general
45 36 30 Ignacio Andrade 2.jpg Ignacio Andrade February 28, 1898 - October 20, 1899 Direct elections Politician
46 37 31 Cipriano Castro Ruiz October 20, 1899 - December 19, 1908 Revolution Military general
47 38 32 Juan Vicente Gómez, 1911.jpg Juan Vicente Gómez December 19, 1908 - August 5, 1913 Coup d'état Military general
48 José Gil Fortoul - Tito Salas.jpg José Gil Fortoul August 5, 1913 - April 19, 1914 Appointed provisional president Lawyer
49 39 Marquez-bustillos.jpg Victorino Márquez Bustillos April 19, 1914 - 1922 Appointed provisional president[2] Lawyer / politician
50 40 32 Juan Vicente Gómez, 1911.jpg Juan Vicente Gómez 1922 - May 30, 1929 Military general
51 41 Juan Bautista Pérez.jpg Juan Bautista Pérez May 30, 1929 - June 13, 1931 Indirect election by the National Assembly Lawyer / magistrate
52 42 32 Juan Vicente Gómez, 1911.jpg Juan Vicente Gómez June 13, 1931 - December 17, 1935 Indirect election by the National Assembly Military general
53 43 33 Eleazar López Contreras December 18, 1935 - June 30, 1936 Interim caretaker (first term) Military general
54 43 34 Eleazar López Contreras June 30, 1936 - May 5, 1941 Indirect elections (second term) Military general
55 44 35 Isaías Medina Angarita May 5, 1941 - October 18, 1945 Indirect elections Military general
56 45 36 Rómulo Betancourt 59.jpg Rómulo Ernesto Betancourt Bello October 18, 1945 - February 17, 1948 Coup d'état Politician
57 46 37 Rómulo Gallegos Freire February 17, 1948 - November 24, 1948 Direct elections Writer / Novelist
58 47 38 Carlos Delgado Chalbaud1.jpg Carlos Delgado Chalbaud November 24, 1948 - November 13, 1950 Coup d'état Military officer
59 48 39 Germán Suárez Flamerich November 13, 1950 - December 2, 1952 Interim caretaker Lawyer
60 49 40 Marcos Pérez Jiménez December 2, 1952 - January 23, 1958 Indirect elections Military officer
61 50 41 Wolfgang Larrazábal January 23, 1958 - November 14, 1958 Coup d'état Rear admiral
62 51 42 Sanabria, Edgar.jpg Edgar Sanabria November 14, 1958 - February 13, 1959 Interim caretaker Lawyer
63 52 43 Rómulo Betancourt 59.jpg Rómulo Ernesto Betancourt Bello February 13, 1959 - March 13, 1964 Direct elections Politician
64 53 44 Raúl Leoni Otero March 13, 1964 - March 11, 1969 Direct elections Lawyer
65 54 45 Caldera photo.jpg Rafael Caldera Rodríguez March 11, 1969 - March 12, 1974 Direct elections Lawyer
66 55 46 Carlos Andrés Pérez photo.jpg Carlos Andrés Pérez Rodríguez March 12, 1974 - March 12, 1979 Direct elections Politician
67 56 47 Luis Herrera Campíns.jpg Luis Herrera Campins March 12, 1979 - February 2, 1984 Direct elections Lawyer
68 57 48 Jaime Lusinchi photo.jpg Jaime Lusinchi February 2, 1984 - February 2, 1989 Direct elections Physician
69 58 49 CAP, 1989.jpg Carlos Andrés Pérez Rodríguez[3] February 2, 1989 - May 21, 1993 Direct elections Politician
70 Octavio Lepage Barreto[4] May 21, 1993 - June 5, 1993 Interim president Lawyer / Politician
71 59 50 Ramón J. Velásquez.jpg Ramón José Velásquez June 5, 1993 - February 2, 1994 Interim president Writer
72 60 51 Caldera photo 2.jpg Rafael Caldera Rodríguez February 2, 1994 - February 2, 1999 Direct elections Lawyer
73 61 52 Chavez CASA127994.jpeg Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías February 2, 1999 - January 10, 2001 Direct Elections Military officer
(Lt. colonel)
74 62 52 Chavez CASA127994.jpeg Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías January 10, 2001 - January 10, 2007[5] Direct elections Military officer
(Lt. colonel)
75 63 52 Chavez CASA127994.jpeg Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías January 10, 2007 - present Direct elections Military officer
(Lt. colonel)

Presidential elections

Notes

  1. After the Revolución de las Reformas Santiago Mariño was appointed as head of the new government.
  2. Bustillos was appointed to the presidency in a provisional fashion after Juan Vicente Gómez, after himself being elected (by the National Assembly) as president. Gómez opted not to assume the presidency, instead choosing to continue in the role of directing the Venezuelan army.
  3. On May 21, 1993 Pérez resigned after being accused of corruption by the Attorney General.
  4. Octavio Lepage was the President of Congress and was in charge of the government until Ramón J. Velásquez was elected by Congress on June 5, 1993.
  5. On April 11, 2002, senior military officers refused Chávez's orders to carry out Plan Ávila. They arrested Chávez, saying he had resigned, and Pedro Carmona Estanga assumed the presidency. Following an uprising, aided by sectors of the military loyal to Chávez, the new government collapsed and Chávez was restored to power early on April 15, 2002. Between the deposing of Carmona and the return of Chávez, Vice President Diosdado Cabello assumed the presidency.

See also

References

External links