Politics of Venezuela - History

History

The Marcos Pérez Jiménez government fell in 23 January 1958, ending the last dictatorship of the 20th century in Venezuela and spawning a democratic period. The country adopted a new constitution in 1961. Two political parties prevailed during the following decades: the social democratic Democratic Action (AD) and the Christian democratic COPEI during the period known as the fourth republic. This system came to an end during the 1998 election when current president Hugo Chávez won thus beginning the fifth Republic and the left-wing Bolivarian Revolution.

Most of the political opposition boycotted the 2005 parliamentary election. Consequently, the MVR-led bloc secured all 167 seats in the National Assembly. Then, the MVR voted to dissolve itself in favor of joining the proposed United Socialist Party of Venezuela, while Chávez requested that MVR-allied parties merge themselves into it as well. The National Assembly has twice voted to grant Chávez the ability rule by decree in several broadly defined areas, once in 2000 and again in 2007. This power has been granted to previous administrations as well.

In 2008, the government expelled the US-based Human Rights Watch, which was criticizing the government Human rights record.

There is a history of tension between church and state in the country. The Catholic Church has accused Chavez of concentrating power in his own hands. In its 2009 Easter address to the nation, the bishops said the country's democracy was in "serious danger of collapse."

In 2009, when an opposition mayor was elected in Caracas, the capital, the government gave control of his budget to an appointed official.