Yearbook 1999
Venezuela. Visit Countryaah official website to get information about the capital city of Venezuela. A new chapter in Venezuela’s history appears to have been initiated by the controversial winner in the 1998 presidential election, the former paratrooper and coup maker Hugo Chávez, who was installed in his office on February 2. He calls his government “revolutionary” and has declared “war against old Venezuela”. Corruption, poverty, neoliberalism and the petrified bipartisan system (“puntofijismo”) that Venezuela has had since 1958 and which blurred the border between the state and political parties (“party democracy”) must be fought.
- Also see Abbreviationfinder.org to see the acronym of VZS which stands for Venezuela and other definitions of this 3-letter abbreviation.
The main theme during the year has been a constitutional reform through which Chávez aims to found a “new republic”. The main battle has been between Chávez’s supporters and the Supreme Court, and has concerned whether a constituent assembly is in itself unconstitutional. His opponent accuses him of authoritarianism and warns against the militarization of Venezuela’s politics.
On November 19, a proposal for a new constitution was completed in record time – 3 months. Power is gathered with the president, the two-chamber congress is replaced by a national assembly with control over legislation and the judicial system, the military gains voting rights and the president’s term of office is extended from 5 to 6 years, with the possibility of re-election. For the most part, the Constitution is considered to be Chávez’s own work and tailor made for him. It was approved by a large majority. More than 70% of the population voted yes in the referendum held on December 15.
The year in Venezuela ended with heavy downpours that caused extensive soil and clay breeding. Between 100,000 and 200,000 people are believed to have become homeless, and tens of thousands have been killed.
On November 2, the government’s candidates won in 20 of the 22 provinces in the municipal and regional elections. The preliminary results were published by CNE 6 hours after the closing of the polling stations. The government won the mayor post in Caracas and retained them in Libertador and Sucre de Caracas, while the opposition retained its mayors in Chacao, Baruta and El Hatillo. Acc. However, CNE turnout was not very high. 14 million Venezuelans were eligible to vote for 337 mayors, 22 governors and 249 local councilors.
In January 2005, Chávez launched a new agricultural reform whose purpose was to hand over uncultivated land to the country’s small farmers. A 2002 agricultural law had been controversial and had not yet been implemented.
In June, the government offered to supply cheap oil to countries in the region with financial problems. The move was criticized by the opposition, which accused Chávez of using the oil to gain greater international influence.
At the last moment in December 2005, the opposition decided to boycott the parliamentary elections. The reason was stated as distrust of the Election Commission and lack of transparency in the electoral process. Foreign electoral observers, however, pointed out that security and transparency “lived up to the highest international standards”. Although turnout barely reached more than 25% of the DKK 14 million. eligible, then the government and its support parties secured all 167 seats in parliament. The real reason for the opposition boycott was a recognition that it was a stubborn defeat in the elections. This was hidden by the boycott.
In March 2006, the Army launched a military training program for civilians. They were used in the use of guerilla methods to help withstand a foreign invasion. The plan was to train DKK 2 million. Venezuelans in these civil defense and guerrilla tactics.
In April, Peru withdrew its ambassador from Caracas, claiming that Chávez had interfered in Peru’s internal affairs. Chávez, as a kick in the current Peruvian presidential election campaign, stated that candidate Alan García was a thief. Garcia ended up being elected anyway. In June, the first 100,000 automatic copies of 170,000 that Venezuela had ordered in Russia arrived. It further amplified the tension between Caracas and Washington.
In his speech to the UN General Assembly in September 2006, Chavez referred to Bush as the devil. Bush had spoken the day before, and Chávez commented: “The devil spoke here yesterday… and it still smells of sulfur.” Until then, the United States had done everything to bring down Chávez. Unsuccessfully.
Chavez was re-elected as president in December 2006 with 62.8% of the vote.
