POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
- Venezuelan Political System
- State Organization and Current Representatives
- Executive Branch
- Legislative Branch
- Judicial Branch
- Citizen’s Branch
- Electoral Branch
- States
- Municipal Authority
- Main Political Parties
- The 1999 Constitution and Its Achievements
Venezuelan Political System
According to the 1999 Constitution, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was founded in order to “establish a society that is democratic, participatory and protagonistic, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, in a State of justice, federal and decentralized, that consolidates the values of liberty, independence, peace, solidarity, common good, territorial integrity, co-existence and the rule of the law.”
Article 6 of the constitution states that “the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the political entities that compose it is and will always be democratic, participatory, elected, decentralized, alternative, responsible, pluralist and of revocable mandates.”
State Organization and Current Representatives
The Executive Branch is represented by the President of the Republic, the Vice President and the Ministers.
According to Article 230 of the constitution, the President of the Republic must be elected through a public, direct and secret vote. The President serves a term of six years and can be re-elected for successive terms.
President of the Republic: Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías
Office Address: Final Avenida Urdaneta, Esq. de Bolero, Palacio de Miraflores, Caracas – Venezuela
Telephone: 58-212-806-31-11
Website: http://www.venezuela.gob.ve
Biography of President Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías was born in the town of Sabaneta in the State of Barinas on July 28, 1954. On July 5, 2975 he received a degree in Military Arts and Science with an emphasis on engineering from the Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences, where he graduated with a rank of Sub-Lieutenant. It was there that his passion for the idaology of Simón Bolívar, Venezuela’s hero of the struggle for independence, was born. He then continued his military career, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1990. As a student, Hugo Chávez received the highest marks in the various courses he completed while in the Armed Forces; he also completed Post-Graduate studies at Simón Bolívar University with a specialization in Political Science. His performance in numerous professional disciplines and his extensive contact with different communities across Venezuela would permit him to understand the country’s social and political drama.
President Chávez’s social vocation and sense of justice have been evidenced in the most crucial moments of our nation’s recent history. Leading a movement of young military leaders of the Armed Forces and inspired by Bolivarian thought, President Chávez led a rebellion on Feb. 4, 1992 against a social and political order that was characterized by corruption and injustice. The rebellion failed and President Chávez and those that joined him were imprisoned; however, in 1994, they were freed by President Rafael Caldera due to public demand. From that point on, a new era of political struggle began.
Along with a group of comrades, President Chávez founded the Movement for a Fifth Republic (MVR) that alongside a number of political organizations and civil society groups led to his election to the presidency of Venezuela. One of his main campaign platforms was the creation of a new republic through a National Constituent Assembly.
A broad popular sentiment that major changes were needed became evident on December 6, 1998, when 56% of the Venezuelan people elected Chávez as the constitutional president of the then-Republic of Venezuela. In 1999, a majority of the Venzuelan people voted in a popular referendum to approve a new constitution for the new Fifth Republic. President Chávez submitted himself to a new election on July 30, 2000 under the terms of the 1999 Constitution, winning 59% of the vote and emerging as the president of the new Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Subsequently, President Chávez was re-elected to a second six-year term on December 3, 2006, gaining the support of the majority of Venezuela’s voters.
President Chávez has a particular love for baseball; it is Venezuela’s most popular sport. Numerous stories, poems and pictorial works are the result of his reverence towards art and culture.
Honorary Degrees Granted to President Hugo Chávez
1. Honorary Doctorate in Political Science. Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea. Presented by Dean Chungwon Choue on October 16, 1999.
2. Honorary Doctorate in Law. Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic. September 3, 2001.
3. Honorary Degree in Philosophy. University of Brasilia, Brazil. Awarded by founder Alberto Perez on March 4, 2001.
4. Honorary Doctorate in Diplomacy. Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. May 15, 2001.
5. Honorary Doctorate in Economics. School of Economics and Commerce, University of China, Beijing, China. May 24, 2001.
The Office of the Vice President is a high-level government institution of strategic importance that works with the President of the Republic on government action and direction. The Vice President coordinates the public bureaucracy and evaluates public policies with the purpose of guaranteeing effective governance.
Vice President of the Republic: Elías Jaua
Office Address: Av. Urdaneta, Esquina de Carmelitas, Caracas – Venezuela
Telephone: 58-212-860-33-35 / 58-212-860-88-22 / 58-212-860-36-69
Website: http://www.vicepresidencia.gob.ve
The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is made up of 25 ministries. (Information on ministries current as of August 2010.)
Ministry of People’s Power for:
Minister: Nicolás Maduro
Vice-Minister for North America: Jorge Valero
Address: Casa Amarilla, Plaza Bolívar,
Caracas
Ph: 58-212-860-02-09/861-03-18
Fax: 58-212-861-08-09
E-mail: ministro@mre.gob.ve
E-mail: asistente@mre.gob.ve
Agriculture and Land
Minister: Juan Carlos Loyo
Address: Av. Lecuna. Torre Este. Piso 7. Parque Central
San Agustín, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-509-04-05/509-04-06/509-04-07
Food
Minister: Carlos Osorio Zambrano
Address: Av. Fuerzas Armadas. Esquina Socarras, Antiguo Edificio Seguros Orinoco. Piso 11,
Caracas
Ph: 58-212-564-83-03
Environment
Minister: Alejandro Hitcher.
Address: Torre Sur, piso 18, Centro Simón Bolívar, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-481-70-08/408-10-71/408-10-76
Fax: 58-212-408-14-64.
Science, Technology and Intermediate Industries
Minister: Ricardo Menéndez
Address: Av. Universidad, Esquina el Chorro, Torre MCT , Caracas
Ph: 58-212-210-34-01/210-34-02/210-34-03
Fax: 58-212-2103536
E-mail: mct@mct.gov.ve
Communication and Information
Minister: Mauricio Rodríguez
Address: Av. Universidad, Torre Ministerial, pisos 9 y 10. Caracas – Dtto. Capital, Venezuela
Ph: 58-212-505-32-07/505-32-15
Commerce
Minister: Richard Canán
Address: Torre Oeste de Parque Central, pisos 6-14, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-509-06-90/509-07-11 /509-09-74
Email: ministro@milco.gob.ve
Communes
Minister: Erika Farías
Address: Av. Nueva Granada, Edif. Sede del INCE, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-603-19-41/603-19-27/603-19-28
Culture
Minister: Francisco Sesto
Address: Centro Simón Bolívar, Torre Norte, piso 16, El Silencio, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-481-39-80/481-49-61/482-98-79
Fax: 58-212-4829879/4820685
Presidency
Minister: Maria Isabella Godoy
Address: Final Avenida Urdaneta, Esquina de Bolero, Palacio de Miraflores, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-806-31-11/806-32-29
Defense
Minister: Carlos Mata Figueroa
Address: Base Aérea Generalísimo Francisco de Miranda, Edificio “Diez de diciembre,” La Carlota, Caracas.
Ph: 58-212-234-10-50/239-74-57/908-10-60
Sports
Minister: Héctor Rodríguez Castro.
Address: Av. Intercomunal Montalban, Sede Principal del Ministerio del Poder Popular Para el Deporte, S/N, Urbanización Montalban, La Vega, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-443-26-82/58-212-472-32-24
Economy and Finance
Minister: Jorge Giordani
Address: Av. Urdaneta, Esquina Carmelitas, Ministerio de Finanzas, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-802-10-00/802-20-00
Fax:58-212-481-59-53
Higher Education
Minister: Edgardo Ramírez
Address: Torre Capriles, Piso 6, Plaza Venezuela, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-506-84-50
Fax: 58-212-794-00-65
Education
Minister: Jennifer Hill Laya
Address: Esquina de Salas, Edificio Ministerio de Educación, Nivel mezzanina, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-564-00-25/562-54-44
Fax: 58-212-562-01-75
Electric Energy
Minister: Alí Rodríguez Araque
Energy and Oil
Minister: Rafael Ramírez (also president of the state-owned PDVSA)
Address: Av. Libertador, Edif. PDV Marina, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-507-87-01/705-87-03
Fax: 58-212-507-86-01/705-86-02
Basic Industries and Mining
Minister: José Khan
Address: Intercomunal Baruta el Hatillo, Calle Ángel de la Tahona, Edif. Cied, Baruta, Miranda
Ph: 58-212-906-43-10/906-46-81/906-46-84
Fax: 58-212-906-45-76/906-46-97
Women’s Affairs and Gender Equality
Minister: Nancy Sierra
Public Works and Housing
Minister: Diosdado Cabello
Address: Torre Este, piso 50, Parque Central, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-509-10-76/509-10-71/509-10-60
Fax: 58-212-509-10-04
Planing and Development
Minister: Jorge Giordani
Address: Torre Oeste, piso 26, Av. Lecuna, Parque Central, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-507-79-35/507-79-36/507-79-37
Fax: 58-212-507-78-89/573-60-98
Indigenous Peoples
Minister: Nicia Maldonado
Address: Av. Universidad, antiguo Edificio Sudeban, piso 8, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-543-15-99
Fax: 58-212-543-31-00
Email: atencionalindigena@minpi.gob.ve
Interior and Justice
Minister: Tarek El Aissami
Address: Edificio MIJ, Av. Urdaneta, Esquina de Platanal, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-860-88-51
Fax: 58-212-861-19-67
Health and Social Protection
Minister: Eugenia Sader
Address: Parque Central, Torre Oeste, pisos 39-41, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-481-91-01/408-00-00
Fax:58-212-574-04-98
Labor and Social Security
Minister: María Cristina Iglesias
Address: Torre Sur, piso 5, Centro Simón Bolívar, Caracas
Ph: 58-212-481-13-68/483-42-11
Fax: 58-212-483-89-14
Tourism
Minister: Alejandro Fleming
Address: Av. Francisco de Miranda con Av. Ppal. de La Floresta, Edif. Mintur (frente al Colegio Universitario de Caracas), Chacao.
Ph: 58-212-208-45-11
Fax: 58-212-285-21-60
E-mail: webmaster@mintur.gob.ve
Legislative Branch
The National Assembly exercises legislative authority and is composed of 165 representatives elected for five-year terms; they can be reelected.
President: Dip. Cilia Flores
Office Address: Monjas a San Francisco, Palacio Federal Legislativo, El Silencio, Caracas
Telephone Numbers: 58-212-483-36-44 / 58-212-483-67-80/ 58-212-483-65-64
Website: http://www.asambleanacional.gov.ve
Judicial Branch
Comprised of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice and other courts, its judges are nominated by civil society. Their nomination requires a two-thirds approval vote in the National Assembly.
The constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela establishes a renewed and independent judicial branch fundamentally oriented towards guaranteeing the rule of law and creating room for citizen participation in the administration of justice.
President Luisa Estella Morales
Office Address: Esquina de Dos Pilitas final Av. Baralt Foro Libertador. Edif. Tribunal Supremo de Justicia
Telephone Number: 58-212-801-92-20
Website: http://www.tsj.gov.ve
Citizen’s Branch
The Citizen’s Branch is comprised of the Moral Republican Council, which has as its parts the Comptroller General, the Public Defender (or ombudsman) and the Attorney General.
Moral Republican Council
The Organic Law on Citizens’ Power states that the Moral Republican Council is the institution charged with protecting and promoting the citizens’ power and is to be comprised of the Comptroller General, the Public Defender (or ombudsman) and the Attorney General. Under the provisions of the law, the council has the responsibility of preventing, investigating and punishing acts that are contrary to public ethics and administrative regulations.
Visit the page of the Moral Republican Council for more information.
Comptroller General’s Office
“The Office of the Comptroller General of the republic is the institution charged with oversight of income, expenses, public goods and national goods and their relative operation. It enjoys functional, administrative and organizational autonomy and orients its acts towards inspecting the agencies and entities under its control.” (Article 274 of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.)
Comptroller: Clodosbaldo Russián
Office Address: Av. Andrés Bello, Sector Guaicaipuro, Edif. Sede de la Contraloría General de la República, Caracas
Telephone Numbers: 58-212-508-31-11 / 58-212- 576-00-11 /
Website: http://www.cgr.gov.ve
Office of the Public Defender
The Office of the Public Defender, also known as the ombudsman, was created as part of the 1999 Constitution. It is an autonomous institution charged with overseeing the functioning of the public bureaucracy and system of justice.
Public Defender: Gabriela Ramírez Pérez
Office Address: Av. México, Plaza Morelo, Edif. Defensoría del Pueblo, Piso 8, Frente al Ateneo, Caracas
Telephone Numbers: 58-212-575-47-03 / 58-212-575-51-03
Fax: 58-212-575-44-67
Website: http://www.defensoria.gob.ve/
Attorney General’s Office
The Attorney General represents the general welfare and guarantees compliance with the rule of law and the preservation of democracy, law and justice.
Attorney General: Luisa Ortega Díaz
Area of Competence: Interior and Justice
Address: Av. México, Manduca a Pelelojo, Edif. Fiscalía General de la República, La Candelaria, Caracas
Telephone Numbers: 58-212-509-81-34 / 58-212-509-80-93 / 58-212-509-33-11
Website: http://www.fiscalia.gov.ve/misionvision.asp
Electoral Branch
The creation of the Electoral Branch came as a response to concerns that had been raised by different segments of the population regarding elections during the time of the Fourth Republic. Faced with this situation, demands were made for a modern and responsive electoral institution founded on a technical structure with a clear application of the rules that could generate public confidence in national elections.
National Electoral Council
The National Electoral Council is the entity that organizes and supervises everything related to the election of public officials through universal, direct and secret vote.
President: Tibisay Lucena Ramírez
Address: Torre Nivel Avenida, Centro Simón Bolívar, Edif. Sede, Nivel Mezzanina, El Silencio, Caracas
Telephone Numbers: 58-212-481-19-30 / 58-212-481-18-09
Fax: 58-212-482-95-69
Website: http://www.cne.gov.ve
States
According to Article 160 of the 1999 Constitution, the exercise of authority in each of the states is entrusted to a governor that is elected by the residents of that state. In the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, there exist 23 state governments:
- Amazon State
- Anzoátegui State
- Apure State
- Aragua State
- Barinas State
- Bolívar State
- Carabobo State
- Cojedes State
- Delta Amacuro State
- Falcón State
- Guárico State
- Lara State
- Mérida State
- Miranda State
- Monagas State
- Nueva Esparta State
- Portuguesa State
- Sucre State
- Táchira State
- Trujillo State
- Vargas State
- Yaracuy State
- Zulia State
To access the addresses and contact information of the various government go to the website Government Online.
Municipal Authority
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has 328 municipal governments that are responsible for the administration of the country’s municipalities with the support of the respective regional and national governments. To access the index of city halls by state, go to the “Government Online” website.
Principal Political Parties
The party system in Venezuela is flexible, democratic and pluri-partisan. All Venezuelans can associate themselves to any of the country’s political parties for the purposes of the free expression of their political opinions. (Articles 52 and 53 of the 1999 Constitution).
The main contemporary parties in Venezuela are as follows, listed according to whether they side with the current government or the opposition:
The United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) – Government
Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV) – Government
Nation for All (PPT) – Government
Venezuelan Popular Union (UPV) – Government
Social Democracy Party (PODEMOS) – Opposition
Democratic Action (AD) – Opposition
Independent Electoral Organization Committee (COPEI) – Opposition
A New Time (UNT) – Opposition
Justice First – (PJ) Opposition
The 1999 Constitution and its Achievements:
The 1999 Constitution has been recognized as one of the most advanced and progressive constitutional texts in the Western Hemisphere. Among the most significant achievements of the current constitution are the following:
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Title III of the constitution grants an extensive set of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and means to defend them.
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The mandates of all public officials can be revoked half-way through an elected term through a public referendum known formally as a “Recall Referendum.”
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Citizens can stop the implementation of a law passed by the National Assembly through a public referendum.
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The Office of the Public Defender or ombudsman was created to guarantee all constitutional rights and protect citizens against excesses of public and private institutions.
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The rights of indigenous communities are explicitly recognized, and the constitution guarantees the protection of their ancestral lands, languages and beliefs. The Constitution of 1961 did not include indigenous languages, while the Constitution of 1999 not only grants them official status, but also recognizes them as national patrimony.
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Social rights are granted, such as the right to work, the right to housing, the right to an education, the right to access public services and others.
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Gender equality is guaranteed. The Constitution of 1999 recognizes women as individuals with equal rights and responsibilities and as vital autonomous participants in Venezuela’s growth and development. The gender-neutral language of the Constitution of 1999, based on the principles of equality and non-discrimination, represents a break with Venezuela’s old patriarchal model, which subordinated and excluded women from public life.
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The right of all Venezuelans to freely and peacefully assemble was expanded by obligating the state to protect those who gather in peace from those who incite violence.
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It protects and preserves the right of each citizen to express their culture.
To access the 1999 Constitution, please visit this page.
