Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Venezuela, 1999 to today. Draft, not yet reviewed

Confidence in the existing political parties collapsed during the 1998 Venezuelan presidential election, in which Hugo Chávez was elected and which became the catalyst for the Bolivarian Revolution. During the 1999 Constituent Assembly, a new Constitution of Venezuela was written and ratified. The 2013, 2018 and 2024 presidential elections were all widely disputed, with opposition candidates being arrested or exiled. In 2026, U.S. forces captured Maduro and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president.

Seat of power: Caracas

Rulers

Hugo Chávez

President of Venezuela, 1999–2013

Chávez changed the country's name from the Republic of Venezuela to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, creating the fifth republic in Venezuelan history and led the Bolivarian revolution. Using record-high oil revenues of the 2000s, his government nationalized key industries, created participatory democratic Communal Councils and implemented social programs known as the Bolivarian missions to expand access to food, housing, healthcare and education. Chávez was reelected in the 2000 Venezuelan general election with 59.8% of the vote and again in the 2006 Venezuelan presidential election, with 62.8% of the vote.

Portrait of Hugo Chávez: Vicepresidencia de Venezuela, Public domain, file

Pedro Carmona

President of Venezuela, 2002–2002

He served as de facto President of Venezuela for 47 hours following the 2002 coup attempt. While Chávez was brought to a military base and held there, military leaders appointed Carmona as the transitional President of Venezuela.

Portrait of Pedro Carmona: Prensa Presidencial - Venezuelan Government, CC BY 3.0, file

Diosdado Cabello

President of Venezuela, 2002–2002

On 13 April 2002, he took on the duties of the presidency on a temporary basis, replacing Pedro Carmona, head of the Venezuelan Chamber of Commerce, as interim president during the coup d'état attempt when Chávez was kept prisoner and was consequently absent from office.

Portrait of Diosdado Cabello: Con El Mazo Dando, Venezolana de Televisión, Public domain, file

Nicolás Maduro

President of Venezuela, 2013–2026

Maduro assumed the presidency after Chávez's death and won the 2013 special presidential election, becoming the 53rd president of Venezuela. He ruled Venezuela by decree after 2015 through powers granted to him by the ruling party legislature. Maduro was accused of leading an authoritarian government, characterized by electoral fraud, human rights abuses, corruption, censorship and severe economic hardship, and Maduro has denied all allegations of misconduct.

Portrait of Nicolás Maduro: Ricardo Stuckert, CC BY 2.0, file

Juan Guaidó

President of Venezuela, 2019–2023

On 23 January 2019, the National Assembly, which viewed the 2018 Venezuelan presidential election as illegitimate and refused to recognize the inauguration of Maduro to a second presidential term on 10 January, declared that he was acting president of Venezuela and Guaidó swore himself into office, starting the Venezuelan presidential crisis. Dinorah Figuera was elected as Guaidó's successor on 5 January 2023, ending his presidential claim.

Portrait of Juan Guaidó: U.S. Embassy Brasilia, Public domain, file

Delcy Rodriguez

President of Venezuela, 2026 to today

On 3 January 2026, the United States carried out strikes in Venezuela and arrested President Maduro for alleged drug trafficking. Rodríguez was officially sworn in as acting president on 5 January, thus becoming the first woman to exercise the powers of the presidency in Venezuelan history. Despite Maduro's de facto removal from power, both he and Rodríguez claim that he remains the legal officeholder.

Portrait of Delcy Rodriguez: Presidency of Venezuela, Public domain, file

Culture

Venezuela is among the most urbanized countries in Latin America, with an estimated urbanization rate of 88.4% in 2022.
Venezuela is a developing country, has the world's largest known oil reserves, and has been one of the world's leading exporters of oil.
Angel Falls is named after Jimmie Angel, a U.S. aviator, who was the first person to fly over the falls on 16 November 1933.

Picture

Angel Falls in Venezuela is the world's tallest uninterrupted waterfall, with a height of 979 metres.

Image: Rich Childs, CC BY 2.0, file

Sources

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.