List of presidents of Venezuela facts for kids
In Venezuela, the president of Venezuela is the country's main leader. They are both the head of state and the head of government. This means they lead the country and its government. The president is also the top commander of Venezuela's armed forces. People vote directly for the president, who serves for six years. Since 2009, a president can be elected any number of times. If a president leaves office because of death, resignation, or removal, the vice president takes over. To be president, a person must be at least 30 years old. They must also be a natural-born citizen of Venezuela and not have citizenship from any other country.
Venezuela became an independent country on January 13, 1830. Since then, 46 different people have been sworn in as president. Some leaders, especially between 1830 and 1953, served more than once. José Antonio Páez was the first president in 1830. Antonio Guzmán Blanco served the most terms, with three. Juan Vicente Gómez was president for the longest time, over 27 years, though his terms were not always continuous. Rómulo Betancourt served from 1959 to 1964. Hugo Chávez served the longest without interruption, for 11 years, from 2002 until he passed away in 2013.
Since January 10, 2019, the presidency has been a topic of disagreement between Juan Guaidó and Nicolás Maduro. This is part of the ongoing Venezuelan presidential crisis. Maduro was first elected in 2013. However, many Venezuelans and some other countries, like the United States, did not support him. Maduro was accused of ruling like a dictator and of cheating in the 2018 elections. Guaidó, who was the leader of the National Assembly of Venezuela, said he was the interim president on January 23, 2019. He used a part of the Venezuelan Constitution to say he would stop the "usurpation," form a temporary government, and call for new elections. This disagreement continued until December 2022. At that time, opposition parties voted to end Guaidó's interim government on January 5, 2023.
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Venezuela's Presidential Journey
The idea of a president in Venezuela began when the country declared independence from Spanish rule. This happened on July 5, 1811. The very first president was part of a group of three leaders, called a triumvirate, who took turns being president each week. The person who was president on July 5, 1811, was Cristóbal Mendoza. He was one of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence.
During the Venezuelan War of Independence and the time of Gran Colombia, there was a lot of confusion. Because of this, there are gaps in the list of leaders between 1813 and 1819. During these years, historians talk about the Second Republic of Venezuela (1813–1814) and the Third Republic of Venezuela (1817–1819). This is because Simon Bolivar brought back the republic twice. From 1819 to 1830, Simón Bolívar was named the "Supreme Commander of the Republic of Venezuela."
In 1830, José Antonio Páez declared that Venezuela was separate from Gran Colombia. He became president on January 13, 1830. Even though Cristóbal Mendoza was the first president in 1811, Páez was the first leader of an independent Venezuela after Gran Colombia broke apart.
Presidents of Venezuela: A Look at Different Eras
Venezuela's presidency has changed names and rules over time. Here's a look at the different periods and some of the leaders.
State of Venezuela (1830–1864)
This was the first period after Venezuela became fully independent from Gran Colombia. Leaders like José Antonio Páez and Carlos Soublette served during this time. They were often part of the Conservative Party. There were also times when leaders from the Liberal Party or military figures held power. The country was still finding its way and had many changes in leadership.
United States of Venezuela (1864–1953)
During this long period, Venezuela was known as the United States of Venezuela. Many presidents served multiple times, like Antonio Guzmán Blanco, who was a very influential Liberal Party leader. Military leaders also played a big role in governing the country during various times in this era. This period saw a mix of civilian and military rule.
Republic of Venezuela (1953–1999)
Venezuela changed its name to the Republic of Venezuela in 1953. This era began with a military dictatorship led by Marcos Pérez Jiménez. After he left in 1958, Venezuela became a democracy. This democratic period started with Rómulo Betancourt becoming president in 1959. For many years, two main political parties, Democratic Action and Copei, were the strongest.
However, the late 1980s and early 1990s brought tough times. Carlos Andrés Pérez's second presidency (1989–1993) faced big economic problems. There were also major protests where many people died. In 1992, there were two attempts to overthrow the government. Pérez was removed from office in 1993. That same year, Rafael Caldera became president. He was the first in over 40 years not to belong to the two main parties. This showed that the two-party system was changing.
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (1999–present)
In 1999, Venezuela became the "Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela." This new name honored Simón Bolívar. President Hugo Chávez introduced a new constitution that year. It changed the presidential term from five to six years. Chávez was president from 1999 until he passed away in 2013.
In 2002, there was a brief attempt to remove Chávez from power. Pedro Carmona was president for just one day. But forces loyal to the government brought Chávez back. In 2009, a vote allowed presidents to be re-elected any number of times. Chávez was re-elected in 2012. He passed away in March 2013, and his Vice President, Nicolás Maduro, took over. Maduro was then elected president the next month.
Under Maduro, Venezuela has faced many challenges. There has been a rise in people without jobs, a lack of goods, and many businesses closing. Maduro has been criticized by those who say he is moving the country towards a dictatorship. This led to a major political crisis starting in 2017. The Supreme Court made decisions that limited the power of the National Assembly, which had many members who opposed Maduro. These actions caused more tension and protests.
The 2018 presidential election results were widely questioned. The National Assembly, which was controlled by the opposition, said Maduro was not the rightful president. They named their leader, Juan Guaidó, as the acting president in January 2019. The Supreme Court, however, said the National Assembly's actions were unconstitutional.
Many international groups and countries have different views on who the rightful president is. The Organization of American States (OAS) said Maduro's presidency was not legitimate. The United States and many countries in Western Europe support Guaidó. Other countries, like China and Russia, support Maduro. The United Nations continues to recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legal representative.
In December 2022, opposition parties voted to end Guaidó's interim government. They decided to create a new group to manage foreign assets instead. This change took effect on January 5, 2023.
Timeline
See also
- List of current heads of state and government
- List of vice presidents of Venezuela
