List of Presidents of Venezuela
| President of Venezuela |
|
|---|---|
 Coat of arms of Venezuela |
|
| Residence | Palacio de Miraflores |
| Term length | Six years, renewable |
| Inaugural holder | Cristóbal Mendoza |
| Formation | March 5, 1811 |
| Website | [1] |
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 the constitutionally guaranteed recourse of holding a popular recall referendum anytime within the last three years of a presidential term. On 15 February 2009, a referendum removed the previous restrictions which limited the President to two terms.[1] 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 actually the president of a triumvirate that rotated the presidency weekly. The person serving as president during the week of July 5 was one of the three signatories of the Declaration of Independence: Cristóbal Mendoza. Mendoza shared the triumvirate with Juan Escalona and Baltasar Padrón.[2][3]
Owing to the profound turmoil of the Venezuelan War 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 second 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) |
Picture | President | Dates in office | Form of entry | Occupation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 |  |
Cristóbal Mendoza, Juan Escalona, Baltasar Padrón | March 5, 1811 – March 21, 1812 | Executive Triumvirate elected by First Congress | Lawyer, Militia Captain, Landowner |
| 2 | 2 | 2 |  |
Simón Bolívar | August 6, 1813 – July 7, 1814 | Indirect elections | Military general |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | |
Simón Bolívar | February 15, 1819 – December 17, 1819 | Indirect elections | Military general |
| 4 | 4 | 3 |  |
José Antonio Páez | January 13, 1830 – January 20, 1835 | Indirect elections | Military general |
| 5 | — | 5 |  |
Andrés Narvarte | January 20, 1835 – February 9, 1835 | Acting President | Lawyer / politician |
| 6 | 5 | 4 |  |
José María Vargas | February 9, 1835 – July 9, 1835 | Indirect elections | Physician |
| 7 | — | 6 |  |
José María Carreño | July 27, 1835 – August 20, 1835 | Acting President | Military general |
| 8 | — | 4 | |
José María Vargas | August 20, 1835 – April 24, 1836 | Restoration | Physician |
| 9 | 6 | 5 | |
Andrés Narvarte | April 24, 1836 – January 20, 1837 | Interim caretaker | Lawyer / politician |
| 10 | 7 | 6 | |
José María Carreño | January 20, 1837 – March 11, 1837 | Interim caretaker | Military general |
| 11 | 8 | 7 |  |
Carlos Soublette | March 11, 1837 – February 1, 1839 | Interim caretaker | Military general |
| 12 | 9 | 3 | |
José Antonio Páez | February 1, 1839 – January 28, 1843 | Indirect elections | Military general |
| 13 | 10 | 7 | |
Carlos Soublette | January 28, 1843 – January 20, 1847 | Indirect elections | Military general |
| 14 | 11 | 8 |  |
José Tadeo Monagas | January 20, 1847 – February 5, 1851 | Indirect elections | Military general |
| 15 | 12 | 9 |  |
José Gregorio Monagas | February 5, 1851 – January 20, 1855 | Indirect elections | Military general |
| 16 | 13 | 8 | |
José Tadeo Monagas | January 20, 1855 – March 15, 1858 | Indirect elections | Military general |
| 17 | 14 | 10 |  |
Pedro Gual Escandon | March 15, 1858 – March 18, 1858 | Provisional President | Lawyer |
| 18 | 15 | 11 |  |
Julián Castro | March 18, 1858 – August 2, 1859 | Coup d'état | Military general |
| 19 | 16 | 10 | |
Pedro Gual Escandon | August 2, 1859 – September 29, 1859 | Provisional President | Lawyer |
| 20 | 17 | 11 |  |
Manuel Felipe de Tovar | September 29, 1859 – May 20, 1861 | Coup d'état (first term); Direct elections (second term) |
Politician |
| 21 | 18 | 10 | |
Pedro Gual Escandon | May 20, 1861 – August 29, 1861 | Provisional President | Lawyer |
| 22 | 19 | 3 |  |
José Antonio Páez | August 29, 1861 – June 15, 1863 | Dictatorship | Military general |
| 23 | 20 | 12 |  |
Juan Crisóstomo Falcón | June 15, 1863 – March 18, 1865 | Victory in the Federal War (first term) | Military general |
| 24 | 20 | 12 | |
Juan Crisóstomo Falcón | March 18, 1865 – April 25, 1868 | Indirect elections (second term) | Military general |
| 25 | 21 | 13 |  |
Manuel Ezequiel Bruzual | April 25, 1868 – June 28, 1868 | Provisional President | Military officer |
| 26 | 22 | 14 |  |
Guillermo Tell Villegas | June 28, 1868 – February 20, 1869 | Provisional President | Lawyer / Military |
| 27 | 23 | 15 |  |
José Ruperto Monagas | February 20, 1869 – April 16, 1870 | Revolution | Military general |
| 28 | 24 | 14 | |
Guillermo Tell Villegas | April 16, 1870 – April 27, 1870 | Provisional President | Lawyer / Military |
| 29 | 25 | 16 |  |
Antonio Guzmán Blanco | April 27, 1870 – February 20, 1873 | Revolution (first term) | Lawyer / Military general |
| 30 | 25 | 16 | |
Antonio Guzmán Blanco | February 20, 1873 – February 27, 1877 | Indirect elections (second term) | Lawyer / Military general |
| 31 | 26 | 17 |  |
Francisco Linares Alcántara | February 27, 1877 – November 30, 1878 | Indirect elections | Military general |
| 32 | 27 | 18 |  |
José Gregorio Valera | November 30, 1878 – February 26, 1879 | Provisional President | Military general |
| 33 | 28 | 16 | |
Antonio Guzmán Blanco | February 26, 1879 – May 12, 1880 | Election by the Federal States | Lawyer / Military general |
| 34 | 28 | 16 | |
Antonio Guzmán Blanco | May 12, 1880 – 1882 | Election by the Federal States | Lawyer / Military general |
| 35 | 28 | 16 | |
Antonio Guzmán Blanco | 1882 – April 26, 1884 | Election by the Federal States | Lawyer / Military general |
| 36 | 29 | 18 |  |
Joaquín Sinforiano de Jesús Crespo | April 26, 1884 – September 15, 1886 | Elections by the Federal States | Military general |
| 37 | 30 | 16 | |
Antonio Guzmán Blanco | September 15, 1886 – August 8, 1887 | Elections by the Federal States | Lawyer / Military general |
| 38 | 31 | 19 |  |
Hermógenes López | August 8, 1887 – July 2, 1888 | Intermin caretaker | Military general |
| 39 | 32 | 20 |  |
Juan Pablo Rojas Paúl | July 2, 1888 – March 19, 1890 | Elections by the Federal States | Lawyer |
| 40 | 33 | 27 |  |
Raimundo Andueza Palacio | March 19, 1890 – June 17, 1892 | Elections by the Federal States | Lawyer |
| 41 | 34 | — | |
Guillermo Tell Villegas | June 17, 1892 – Augus 31, 1892 | Provisional President | Lawyer / Military |
| 42 | — | — |  |
Guillermo Tell Villegas Pulido | August 31, 1892 – October 7, 1892 | Provisional President | Lawyer |
| 43 | 35 | 28 | |
Joaquín Sinforiano de Jesús Crespo | October 7, 1892 – March 14, 1894 | Revolution | Military general |
| 44 | 35 | 29 | |
Joaquín Sinforiano de Jesús Crespo | March 14, 1894 – February 28, 1898 | Elections by the Federal States | Military general |
| 45 | 36 | 30 |  |
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 | December 19, 1908 – August 5, 1913 | Coup d'état | Military general |
| 48 | — | — |  |
José Gil Fortoul | August 5, 1913 – April 19, 1914 | Appointed provisional president | Lawyer |
| 49 | 39 | — |  |
Victorino Márquez Bustillos | April 19, 1914 – 1922 | Appointed provisional president[4] | Lawyer / politician |
| 50 | 40 | 32 |  |
Juan Vicente Gómez | 1922 – May 30, 1929 | — | Military general |
| 51 | 41 | — |  |
Juan Bautista Pérez | May 30, 1929 – June 13, 1931 | Indirect election by the National Assembly | Lawyer / magistrate |
| 52 | 42 | 32 |  |
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 Ernesto Betancourt Bello | October 19, 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 Chalbaud | November 24, 1948 – November 13, 1950 | Coup d'état | Military officer |
| 59 | 48 | 39 |  |
Germán Suárez Flamerich | November 27, 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 |  |
Edgar Sanabria | November 14, 1958 – February 13, 1959 | Interim caretaker | Lawyer |
| 63 | 52 | 43 |  |
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 |  |
Rafael Caldera Rodríguez | March 11, 1969 – March 12, 1974 | Direct elections | Lawyer |
| 66 | 55 | 46 |  |
Carlos Andrés Pérez Rodríguez | March 12, 1974 – March 12, 1979 | Direct elections | Politician |
| 67 | 56 | 47 |  |
Luis Herrera Campins | March 12, 1979 – February 2, 1984 | Direct elections | Lawyer |
| 68 | 57 | 48 |  |
Jaime Lusinchi | February 2, 1984 – February 2, 1989 | Direct elections | Physician |
| 69 | 58 | 49 | |
Carlos Andrés Pérez Rodríguez[5] | February 2, 1989 – May 21, 1993 | Direct elections | Politician |
| 70 | — | — |  |
Octavio Lepage Barreto[6] | May 21, 1993 – June 5, 1993 | Interim president | Lawyer / Politician |
| 71 | 59 | 50 |  |
Ramón José Velásquez | June 5, 1993 – February 2, 1994 | Interim president | Writer |
| 72 | 60 | 51 | |
Rafael Caldera Rodríguez | February 2, 1994 – February 2, 1999 | Direct elections | Lawyer |
| 73 | 61 | 52 |  |
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frias | February 2, 1999 – January 10, 2001 | Direct elections | Military officer (Lt. colonel) |
| 74 | 62 | 52 | |
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frias | January 10, 2001 – January 10, 2007[7] | Direct elections | Military officer (Lt. colonel) |
| 74 | 63 | 52 | |
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías | January 10, 2007 – present | Direct elections | Military officer (Lt. colonel) |
Presidential elections
|
||||||||||||||
Notes
- ↑ Chavez wins chance of fresh term
- ↑ "Presidentes de Venezuela" at Consulado General de Bucaramanga
- ↑ Briceño Perozo, Mario. "Mendoza, Cristóbal de" in Diccionario de Historia de Venezuela, Vol. 3. Caracas: Fundación Polar, 1999. ISBN 980-6397-37-1
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ On May 21, 1993 Pérez resigned after being accused of corruption by the Attorney General.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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
- First Lady of Venezuela
- Politics of Venezuela
- History of Venezuela
- Venezuelan presidential election, 2000
- lists of incumbents
- Politics
- (Politics Portal)
- (Venezuela Portal)
References
- (Spanish) Nuestros Presidentes – Official government portal for presidential biographies.
- (Spanish) Cuadro de Presidentes Venezolanos
- (Spanish) Presidentes y jefes de Gobierno
- (Spanish) Comentarios sobre la Lista de Presidentes
External links
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||