José Vicente Rangel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Vicente Rangel
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| Vice President of Venezuela | |
| In office 14 April 2002 – 3 January 2007 |
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| President | Hugo Chavez |
| Preceded by | Diosdado Cabello |
| Succeeded by | Jorge Rodriguez |
| Minister of Defense | |
| In office 14 February 2001 – 14 April 2002 |
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| Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela | |
| In office 2 February 1999 – 14 February 2001 |
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| President | Hugo Chavez |
| Preceded by | Miguel Ángel Burelli Rivas |
| Succeeded by | Luis Alfonso Dávila |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
José Vicente Rangel Vale
10 July 1929 Caracas, Venezuela |
| Died | 18 December 2020 (aged 91) Caracas, Venezuela |
| Political party | Movement for Socialism (former) |
| Spouse | Ana Ávalos |
| Profession | Journalist |
José Vicente Rangel Vale (born July 10, 1929 – died December 18, 2020) was an important Venezuelan politician and journalist. He tried to become president three times in the 1970s and 1980s. Later, he supported Hugo Chávez. He worked for Chávez as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2001. Then, he was the Minister of Defense from 2001 to 2002. Finally, he served as the Vice President from 2002 to 2007.
Contents
Early Life and Political Beginnings
José Vicente Rangel was born in Caracas, Venezuela. After a dictator named Marcos Pérez Jiménez was removed from power in 1958, Rangel returned to Venezuela. That same year, he was elected to the Congress. He represented a political group called the Democratic Republican Union (URD). Besides his political work, he also worked as a lawyer and a journalist.
Presidential Campaigns
Rangel ran for president of Venezuela three times. He was a candidate in the 1973 and 1978 elections. For these, he ran with the Movement for Socialism (MAS) party. In the 1983 election, he ran with the People's Electoral Movement (MEP).
Career as a Journalist
In 1990, Rangel went back to working as a journalist. He wrote columns for many newspapers, like El Universal. In the 1960s, he was also the editor of a weekly magazine called Qué Pasa en Venezuela. He also edited daily newspapers like La Razón and Clarín.
Rangel played a role in the removal of President Carlos Andrés Pérez in 1993. He was the first to report on serious problems involving money in November 1992. The Supreme Court agreed with his reports. Because of this, the National Congress removed President Pérez from office. For many years, Rangel also hosted a political TV show called "José Vicente Hoy" on Televen.
Working with Hugo Chávez
When Hugo Chávez became president in February 1999, he chose Rangel to be his Minister of Foreign Affairs. Rangel held this important job until February 2001. Then, Chávez appointed him as the Minister of Defense. Rangel was special because he was the first civilian (someone not in the military) to be the Minister of Defense in many decades.
Becoming Vice President
After serving as Minister of Defense for a bit over a year, Rangel became the Vice President in May 2002. He took over from Diosdado Cabello. On January 3, 2007, President Chávez announced that Jorge Rodríguez would replace Rangel as Vice President. Chávez said it was a difficult decision. He also said he respected Rangel like a father.
At a ceremony on January 8, Rangel stated that he was leaving the government. However, he said he was not leaving the political movement. Rangel and Rodríguez praised each other. Rodríguez even said that Rangel was the first person he ever voted for in the 1983 election.
Personal Life and Legacy
José Vicente Rangel wrote a book called Expediente Negro. This book looked into problems with human rights in Venezuela during the 1960s and 1970s. His son, José Vicente Rangel Ávalos, also became involved in Venezuelan politics. He served as the mayor of the Sucre District in Caracas. José Vicente Rangel passed away on December 18, 2020, at the age of 91.
Books Written by Rangel
- Expediente Negro, 1972 – a book about human rights issues.
- Tiempo de Verdades, 1973 – a collection of his newspaper writings.
- Seguridad, defensa, democracia: Un tema para cíviles y militares, 1980 – a book about security, defense, and democracy.
See also
In Spanish: José Vicente Rangel para niños
