VENEZUELA IN THE 20TH CENTURY

SEAN MEEHAN | LAHAL

IMPORTANT 19TH CENTURY DATES

APRIL 19, 1810 - CARACAS CABILDO ASSERTS RIGHT TO GOVERN VENEZUELA, MARKS BEGINNING OF INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT IN VENEZUELA

JULY 5, 1811 - VENEZUELA OFFICIALLY DECLARES INDEPENDENCE FROM SPAIN

JULY 1812 - VENEZUELA RETURNS TO SPANISH CONTROL

AUGUST 1813 - SIMÓN BOLÍVAR TAKES CARACAS

JULY 16, 1814 - ROYALISTS RE-TAKE CARACAS, END OF “SECOND REPUBLIC

AUGUST 1819 - PATRIOTS DECLARE INDEPENDENCE FOR REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA

1829 - JOSÉ ANTONIO PÁEZ DECLARED VENEZUELA INDEPENDENT OF GRAN COLOMBIA

IMPORTANT 19TH CENTURY DATES

1830-1847 “THE CONSERVATIVE OLIGARCHY”

1848 - JOSÉ TADEO MONAGAS DISSOLVES CONGRESS, BEGINS “THE LIBERAL OLIGARCHY” WHICH LASTS UNTIL 1859

1859-1863 - THE FEDERAL WARS

1864 - FEDERALISTS ESTABLISH A NEW CONSTITUTION

1870 - LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES JOIN FORCES TO PUT STRONGMAN ANTONIO GUZMÁN BLANCO - TIES TO OTHER COUNTRIES INCREASED

1895 - ECONOMIC CRISIS LED TO WORKERS UPRISING IN CARACAS AND FORMATION OF THE POPULAR PARTY

A DECADE BIRTHED IN FIRE

1899 - THE LIBERATING REBELLION BROUGHT CIPRIANO CASTRO (1899-1909) TO POWER

CASTRO WAS A STERN CAUDILLO, BUT IMPROVED ECONOMY NONETHELESS

1901-1903 - FAILED REVOLUTION ATTEMPTED TO OUST CASTRO

1902 - VENEZUELA CLAIMS CRISIS- EUROPEAN COUNTRIES MADE FINANCIAL CLAIMS OF VENEZUELA WHICH CASTRO RESISTED UNTIL THEY BLOCKADED THE PORTS

1908 - CASTRO GOES TO EUROPE FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT AND IS DEPOSED BY VP GENERAL JUAN VICENTE GÓMEZ

GÓMEZ AND OIL CHANGE VENEZUELA FOREVER

THE CONTINUOUS AND OFTEN OPPRESSIVE RULE OF JUAN VICENTE GÓMEZ USHERED VENEZUELA INTO THE MODERN ERA

SECRET POLICE FORCE SUBDUED OPPOSITION WITH IMPRISONMENT AND TORTURE

HAD THE MOST SUCCESS OF ANY VENEZUELAN RULER UP TO THAT POINT AT CONSOLIDATING POWER AND OVERRULING REGIONAL LEADERS

TRIED TO GAIN POPULARITY THROUGH RHETORIC OF PROGRESS AND ORDER AND COMPARISONS TO BOLÍVAR

TRIED TO SUBVERT CONSTITUTION BY RUNNING BEYOND TERM LIMITS, INSTEAD PUT IN PUPPET RULERS WHILE HE SLOWLY DISMANTLED CONSTITUTION

GÓMEZ CONSOLIDATES THE ECONOMY

INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDUP, STARTED UNDER CASTRO ALLOWED FOR TIGHTER CONTROL OF THE REGIONS

EARLY ON, GÓMEZ INCREASED GOVERNMENT INFLUENCE IN THE CATTLE INDUSTRY, STREAMLINING AND INCREASING PRODUCTION OF THE CATTLE INDUSTRY IN A WAY THAT EARNED RICHES FOR THE COUNTRY AND HIMSELF

CONTROLLING THE CATTLE INDUSTRY GAVE HIS REGIME A MORE PROMINENT PLACE IN THE DAY-TO-DAY LIVES OF THE PEOPLE

THE PETROLEUM EXPLOSION

CARIBBEAN PETROLEUM COMPANY BEGAN EXPLOITATION OF VENEZUELAN OIL

GOMEZ FREQUENTLY CHANGED OIL LAWS, MAINTAINING THE GOVERNMENT’S RIGHT TO SELL ANY OIL FIELDS TO FOREIGN COMPANIES

1921 - GOMEZ ALLOWED FOREIGN OIL COMPANIES TO HELP DRAFT MORE FAVORABLE LEGISLATION

VENEZUELAN PETROLEUM COMPANY ESTABLISHED TO HAND OUT CONCESSIONS, AMERICAN COMPANIES STARTED BUYING CONCESSIONS IN 1924

BY 1926, OIL EXPORTS SURPASSED COFFEE IN VALUE, COMPLETING THE SHIFT FROM AGRARIAN ECONOMY TO PETROLEUM-BASED

BY 1929, VENEZUELA WAS THE WORLD’S TOP EXPORTER OF PETROLEUM

FOLLOW THE MONEY

GOMEZ PERSONALLY BECAME VERY WEALTHY, BECAME LARGEST LANDOWNER IN THE COUNTRY

NEPOTISM WAS RAMPANT. GOMEZ REPORTEDLY FATHERED BETWEEN 80 AND 100 CHILDREN WHO, ALONG WITH HIS FRIENDS, WERE GIVEN CIVIL POSITIONS AND SHARES OF THE OIL WEALTH

DESPITE BUILDUP OF INFRASTRUCTURE, NO EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON PUBLIC EDUCATION

RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS

1925 - FIRST LABOR MOVEMENT PROTESTING POOR WORKING CONDITIONS AND HIGH COST OF LIVING FOR OIL FIELDS WORKERS, WAS SUPPRESSED

LABOR LAW PASSED BUT NOT ENFORCED UNTIL END OF GOMEZ REGIME

STUDENT PROTEST IN 1928 LED TO ARRESTS OF LEADERS, MANY OF WHOM BECAME POWERFUL POLITICAL FIGURES IN POST-GOMEZ DEMOCRACY MOVEMENTS

HOTEL MIRAMAR

SPRING 1928 - CARAQUEÑOS LEARNED THAT THE GOVERNMENT PLANNED TO BUY HOTEL MIRAMAR IN THE COASTAL CITY OF MACUTO TO ADVANCE TOURISM

GÓMEZ OWNED THE HOTEL AND HAD USED PUBLIC FUNDS TO BUILD IT, AND WAS NOW SELLING IT TO HIMSELF

A SIGN WAS ANONYMOUSLY PLACED ON THE STATUE OF SIMÓN BOLÍVAR IN THE CITY CENTER STATING: “FOR SALE/ BS. 5,000,000/ BY J.V. GÓMEZ

RESISTANCE IN LITERATURE

RÓMULO GALLEGOS IS THE MOST RESPECTED WRITER OF THE GÓMEZ ERA, ALTHOUGH HE WAS IN EXILE FOR MUCH OF IT

AS A TEACHER, HE INFLUENCED THOSE WHO WOULD GO ON TO LEAD THE STUDENT REVOLT OF ’28

WAS A POSITIVIST WHO NEVER OUTRIGHT CRITICIZED THE REGIME, BUT HIS NOVEL DOÑA BARBARA WAS MET WITH RESISTANCE BY THE GOVERNMENT, SO HE WENT INTO EXILE

THE END OF THE REGIME

BETWEEN 1929 AND 1935, GÓMEZ WAS TECHNICALLY NOT PRESIDENT, BUT HAD TWO PUPPET RULERS: JUAN BAUTISTA PÉREZ AND ITRIAGO CHACÍN

DECEMBER 1935 - GÓMEZ DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES, LEADING TO TWO DECADES OF TRANSITION FROM DICTATORSHIP TO DEMOCRACY

TIME OF TRANSITION

1936-1941 - GENERAL ELEÁZAR LÓPEZ CONTRERAS TAKES PRESIDENCY, FACED WITH SUDDEN INFLUX OF OPPOSITION

FORMATION OF SEVERAL LEFTIST PARTIES, UNITED AS NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

OIL WORKER’S STRIKE 1936-37 FORCED CONCESSIONS IN WAGE LAWS AND HYDROCARBONS REFORM

1941-45 - GENERAL ISAÍAS MEDINA ANGARITA, HAND-PICKED SUCCESSOR

FORMATION OF THE DEMOCRATIC ACTION (AD) PARTY, WHICH WOULD DOMINATE AFTER 1958

INCREASED POLITICAL FREEDOM AND DISCUSSION

OVERTHROW

DESPITE MANY LEFTIST CONCESSIONS BY THE MEDINA GOVERNMENT, THE PUBLIC COULD NOT BE PLACATED AND MEDINA WAS OVERTHROWN IN OCTOBER 1945

1945-1948 - TRIENIO JUNTA, PROMISE FOR DEMOCRATIC REFORM BUT SHORT-LIVED. DID ESTABLISH PRECEDENT FOR VENEZUELAN DEMOCRACY WITH THE LEFT-OF-CENTER REFORMIST PARTY URD AND THE COPEI, A CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY

VENEZUELA’S FIRST ELECTED PRESIDENT

1948 - RÓMULO GALLEGOS, FAMOUS POLITICAL AUTHOR BECAME FIRST POPULARLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT

TRIED TO IMPLEMENT RADICAL REFORMS INCLUDING AGRARIAN REFORM AND HIGH INCOME TAX

DEPOSED BY MILITARY COUP IN NOVEMBER 1948

FOLLOWED BY DECADE OF MILITARY RULE THAT TRIED TO REVERSE PROGRESS IN POLITICAL FREEDOM

PERÉZ JIMÉNEZ

1952-1958 RULED AS DICTATOR, REVIVING A LOT OF THE POLICIES OF GÓMEZ INCLUDING HARSH CRACKDOWNS, CONCESSIONS TO FOREIGN COMPANIES

RELIED ON REPRESSION AND LARGE PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS

1957 - ARCHBISHOP OF CARACAS, MONSIGNOR RAFAEL ARIAS BLANCO, ISSUED A CRITICISM OF LABOR CONDITIONS

MOVEMENT WITHIN THE MILITARY TO DEPOSE JIMÉNEZ GATHERED STRENGTH, WAS OUSTED BY AIR FORCE IN 1958

ART IN THE 50S

KINETIC ART MOVEMENT LAUNCHED BY EXHIBIT “THE MOVEMENT” IN 1955 W/ JESÚS RAFAEL SOTO’S “SPIRAL”

BROUGHT TOGETHER MEMBERS OF THE “TALLER LIBRE DE ARTE” SCHOOL AND “LOS DISIDENTES” A GROUP OF EXPAT ARTISTS IN FRANCE

OTHER POPULAR FIGURES INCLUDED ALEJANDRO OTERO, FOUNDER OF LOS DISIDENTES MOVEMENT/KEY FIGURE IN KINETIC

MOVEMENT, CARLOS CRUZ DIEZ, FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE KINETIC MOVEMENT

TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY/ AD DOMINANCE

DURING RE-ORGANIZATION, POLITICAL PARTIES AGREE TO FORM COALITION GOVERNMENT NO MATTER WHO WINS

1959-64 - AD CANDIDATE RÓMULO BETANCOURT BECOMES PRESIDENT. JOINED OPEC, PASSED MORE AGRARIAN REFORM

ATTACKS FROM THE LEFT AND RIGHT LED TO ECONOMIC PROACTIVISM, MORE PROMINENT ROLE IN OPEC

VIOLENT REBELLION GROUPS CROPPED UP, INSPIRED BY THE CUBAN REVOLUTION AND RADICAL IDEOLOGY

1964-1969 - RAÚL LEONI, AD CANDIDATE, BECOMES PRESIDENT, CONTINUES POLICIES OF BETANCOURT, BUT DID SO MORE QUIETLY

ATTEMPTS TO OVERTHROW THE GOV. DWINDLED AS VENEZUELA BECAME MORE INVOLVED IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS THROUGH LAFTA AND OTHER UNIONS OF LATIN AMERICAN NATIONS

SEVERAL PEACEFUL TRANSITIONS OF POWER / ECONOMIC TROUBLES

1969-1974 - DR. RAFAEL CALDERA (COPEI) - VENEZUELAN CONTROL OVER OIL INCREASED, NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY NATIONALIZED (‘71), ANDEAN PACT SIGNED- INCREASED COOPERATION WITH OTHER COUNTRIES IN REGION

1974-1979 - CARLOS ANDRÉS PÉREZ (AD) - INCREASED INTERVENTION IN ECONOMY, NATIONALIZED IRON INDUSTRY (’74), STEEL AND PETROLEUM INDUSTRIES (’75). INCREASE IN ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

1979-1984 - HERRERA CAMPÍNS (COPEI) - OIL REVENUES DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY, LEADING TO ECONOMIC CRISIS AND INFLATION, SPECULATION ABOUT DEVALUING OF BOLIVAR (CURRENCY) LED TO CAPITAL FLIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTRY THAT CAUSED FURTHER PROBLEMS

SEVERAL PEACEFUL TRANSITIONS OF POWER / ECONOMIC TROUBLES

1984-1989 - JAMIE LUSINCHI (AD) - INFLATION CONTINUED TO GROW TO 20 PERCENT AT WHICH POINT GOV. MADE A DEAL WITH INTERNATIONAL BANKERS TO REFINANCE

1990-1994 - PÉREZ (AGAIN)(AD) - IMPLEMENTED SEVERE AUSTERITY MEASURES THAT LED TO VIOLENT STREET RIOTS IN FEB. 1989. PRIVATIZED A LOT OF INDUSTRY, DECREASED INFLATION. UNREST AMONG THE POOR POPULATION LED TO CORRUPTION CHARGES- PÉREZ STEPPED DOWN IN 1993

1994-1999 - CALDERA (AGAIN)(CONVERGENCIA) - ADVOCATED FOR A MORE JUST DIVISION OF AUSTERITY CUTS, MOVED FROM 2-PARTY SYSTEM TO A MORE POPULIST FORM

BIRTH OF THE CHAVEZ ERA

LIEUTENANT COLONEL HUGO CH´AVEZ EMERGED AS LEADER OF A POPULIST MOVEMENT OPPOSED TO CALERA

1998 ELECTIONS - CHÁVEZ SEIZES POWER, LEADING TO YEARS OF ONGOING CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES TO REMAIN IN POWER

ALTHOUGH HIS FIRST YEARS WERE FAIRLY QUIET, CHÁVEZ DID REVERSE THE TREND OF PRIVATIZATION STARTED BY PÉREZ

49 LAWS ENACTED IN 2001 REPRESENTED A STRONG LEFTIST TURN FOR THE CHÁVEZ REGIME, RADICALIZATION OF POLICIES, NATIONALIZATION OF SEVERAL INDUSTRIES BEGAN

WITH EACH ELECTION, CHÁVEZ GETS INCREASINGLY RADICAL, CALLING FOR A SPECIAL BRAND OF SOCIALISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY AND TAKING CONTROL OVER INDUSTRIES THROUGHOUT VENEZUELA UNDER THE GUISE OF ANTI-IMPERIALISM AND BOLÍVARIANISM

HUGO CHÁVEZ

HUGO CHÁVEZ’S RECENT TROUBLES WITH CANCER SUGGEST THAT A CATACLYSMIC SHIFT IN VENEZUELAN POLITICS MAY BE COMING

WORKS CITED

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